Trade

Woolies vegetarian ‘mince’ sells out, within days of launch

Jon Condon, 19/06/2018

WOOLWORTHS supermarkets around the country have sold out of their first consignments of an entirely new plant-based, vegetarian ‘mince’ product.

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The new line, branded ‘Minced’, is produced by a company called Funky Fields and retails for $8 for a 400g packet. It’s made from soy and wheat proteins (adding texture and protein), coconut (for fat), and almonds, tomato and porcini mushrooms for flavour. Its colour (see pack photo), is derived from beetroot.

The manufacturer suggests the taste is ‘close to’ minced beef, and that the product can be used in every dish where consumers thought about using meat, like lasagne, hamburgers, chilli con carne and spaghetti bolognese.

‘Minced’ is stocked in the meat section of Woolworths supermarkets, which in itself has divided customers. While some vegetarians and vegans said they would be ‘put-off’ having to venture into the meat section to purchase the product, animal protein supporters said there was no place for a vegetarian product in the meat aisle – especially one with the potential to confuse customers, through its name.

It’s one of the conundrums which is emerging, as more plant-based meat substitutes – or in some cases combined meat/vegetable-based protein formulations – come to market.

Retail competitor Coles will this week trial one of the world’s best-known beef patty substitutes, Beyond Burger, in some of its Victorian stores.

Last weekend, Beef Central went looking for the ‘Minced’ product on Woolworths’ shelves. When we couldn’t find it, we made inquiries, and were told it had sold out across Australia, within days of launch. Whether that was due to underlying consumer demand, or simply new product ‘curiosity’, only time will tell.

The use of the word ‘Minced’ on the pack has angered National Party senator Barry O’Sullivan.

Last weekend he demanded that Woolworths remove the product and re-label it, so the Federal Government did not have to ‘step in.’

“Woolworths need to pull it from the shelves today,” Senator Sullivan told the ABC.

He said he was expecting food labelling to become increasingly complex, and said the major supermarkets had a responsibility to shoppers.

“Have we gotten to a position in a nanny state where the government has to go from shelf-to-shelf, line-by-line, on every product and commodity and create legislation? No-one wants that,” he said.

“I call on Woolworths and any other retailers to deal with this themselves, don’t put us in a situation where government has to start to buy into more regulation or legislation.”

Deputy prime minister Michael McCormack also stressed the importance of correct labelling on food. “Mince is mince, mince is meat. That’s my interpretation of what mince is,” ABC reported.

He said he had been assured the label clearly stated the product was “plant or vegetable based”, but when asked by ABC whether he agreed with it being sold in the red meat section he replied, “Perhaps not.”

But Mr McCormack also said there could be other external factors behind the placement of the new item, including the space in refrigerated areas.

Woolworths would not say whether other faux meat products would be relocated to the chilled meat section.

“We know some customers are looking to eat less traditional protein in their diets,” a company spokesman said. “In response, we are pleased to range the [minced product] in our meat section to meet this demand.”

Senator O’Sullivan accused plant-based protein-makers of leveraging off of the red meat sector’s marketing edge.

“They are piggy-backing on the back of industries that have invested hundreds of millions of dollars, to get their product identified for what it is,” he said.

Broader spectrum of customer needs

The move to stock vegetarian ‘mince’ is part of a move by Woolworths to address a broader spectrum of customer needs.

Click on image for a larger view

The company also recently launched a new ‘flexatarian’ product range under the title, ‘Perfectly Balanced’. The range encompasses sausages, burgers, meatballs and rissoles, combining animal protein (60pc beef/pork in this example seen by Beef Central) with vegetable-based ingredients including lentils and carrot.

Health, wellness and dietary considerations were the underlying messages behind the product. The concept is designed to deliver ‘balance’ for those consumers who still want their traditional animal protein (albeit perhaps in smaller quantities), while also getting a ‘balance of vegetables and other products.’

The pack of six ‘flexitarian’ sausages pictured here retailed in Woolworths for $7.50, compared with a pack of premium 100pc beef/pork sausages nearby selling for the same price.

After just two weeks in-store – and little serious promotion – Beef Central was told the flexitarian range was achieving similar sales to Woolworths’ conventional lamb burger category.

  • Beef Central will discuss this new flexitarian concept and product range within a broader interview about value-adding with Woolworths national meat category manager Pat McEntee in coming days.

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Comments

  1. Tania Lee Paterson, 11/06/2019

    I think there should not be an issue that these plant based (vegetarian) products are placed in with the meat products. For me I have found that I now have a choice between meat or a plant based product, which as a non- vegetarian (I don’t eat lamb or most pork products) it is not a product I would have normally considered eating. So overall if it gets more meat eaters choosing and eating more plant based products, well yeah that can only be a good thing. Surely nobody can be upset about that…

  2. Rob Lshmore, 20/01/2019

    I think it appropriate that the plant-based mince be found in the meat case together with all the other minces (Lamb/Beef/Chicken/Pork/Veal) For me, the purpose is the same for all – to make mince-based dishes like moussaka, Lasagne, Hamburgers, rissoles, chilli con carne, tacos – and the like. Why shouldn’t it be with all the other minces? It’s labelled plant based, so no deception here.

  3. Johann Schmidt, 24/10/2018

    What a hilarious non-argument from Senator McCarthy. With that logic, you could say that the meat industry is piggybacking off the immense investment of the fruit and veg industry since their products are also near each other. If someone wants meat, they’ll buy meat; if someone wants plant mince, they’ll buy plant mince. Also ironic to complain about a nanny state when you are literally threatening to intervene with a products placement on a supermarket shelf out of some vague concern of ‘mislabeling’.

  4. Sam Leheny, 13/10/2018

    Was a little weirded out that it doesn’t turn brown when you cook it like real beef does, but it tastes pretty good!
    As for the name, “mince” is a verb. “To mince…” And you can mince anything, such as the minced fruit in ‘Mince Pies’ at Christmas time.
    If he’s worried about becoming a nanny state, I think it’s on him to treat people as smart enough to realise what they’re buying when there’s a big proud “100% PLANT BASED” right there on the front.

  5. Scotty Adams, 19/07/2018

    I think the meat industry is right to be a bit concerned just from a labelling and product placement issue. I think as these products will gain market penetration if they actually DO what they claim. Especially true where catering for crowds because every bugger has some kind of food disability these days. My view is it probably will translate into lower volume but higher margin for meat product but how much, I’m not sure. Not significant enough to put too many out of business would be my guess. I will continue to eat meat but it would be good to have a viable substitute for some situations. Preference is for less processing on my side though and obviously this product is highly processed. Interesting to see the reviews coming through now.

    S

  6. Jack, 23/06/2018

    We bought 2 trays last week to try it and tonight bought another 4 as it has been sold out since. We love it.

  7. Robert Harry, 21/06/2018

    Maybe ban fruit mince, lets ban apple mince, best of all ban all those silly buggers called vegans and vegetarians. Raise a glass to the carnivores and just ban fruit and vegetables, and have our food processed naturally through the gut of a non-human animal. Don’t fancy the output of of my canine friends, probably draw the line there.

  8. Glen Feist, 20/06/2018

    As a meat guy I wouldn’t be too worried about this new product. Real meat alternatives have been arround for years, especially in Asia and they will continue to take up a minute % of the real meat market share. Like most new and topical products there will be an initial rush to try the product but it will settle down and the meat eaters will continue to eat meat and the vegans will just have another option. Yes I guess there could be some better and more creative descriptors so that those who are so easily fooled don’t pick up the wrong pack by mistake but really folks focus and put your energy into something that will have a much bigger effect on long term profitability for your real meat business.

  9. L Sinclair, 20/06/2018

    The plant based meat is in high demand – they keep running out – we bought three packets. Great product. Thanks Woolworths for listening to your growing plant based market.

  10. Paul D. Butler, 19/06/2018

    Barry is exactly right………lab slime should NOT be labeled mince, meat, sausage or beef.

    Amazing to me that folks so proud of their plant slime want to try and call it meat…….what does that tell you?

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