MONROVIA, CA - Consumers are welcoming vegan burger patties to the Trader Joe’s Unique Options Club—and a delicious club that is! On top of the trusted tastiness that the company’s products consistently deliver, these newbies to the ranks are affordable for those looking for healthy options on a budget, at just $3.49 for two patties.

According to Live Kindly, the product is host to 26 grams of pea protein, an increasingly popular way to obtain protein for those lacking in meat consumption. This is just one trend of many that proves plant-based diets are on the upward swing, with Markets and Markets reporting that the U.S. market for pea protein to reach an estimated $34.8 million by 2020.

While a bigger foray into center-plate items for produce, the new burger variety is far from the only plant-based option that Trader Joe’s is offering its vegan and vegetarian shoppers. Amongst its produce and plat-powered inventory are corn tortillas, made with ground corn, water, and a bit of lime; organic Tahini sauce made of ground sesame seeds alone; and Organic Red Lentil Sedanini, which is made with the singular ingredient organic red lentil flour.  

Other supermarkets and companies that are gearing up for the plant-based trends are Sysco, which recently partnered with Beyond Meat to propel sales for its plant-based burgers; Taylor Farms, which just launched two new vegetable noodle offerings; Whole Foods, whose market research experts show an incline in plant-based diets; and McDonald’s, which debuted its vegan burgers in Finland recently.

The list of companies beefing up their plant-based options does not stop there, either. It appears as though this trending alteration to the food industry is gaining speed and is transferring into as many different avenues of consumption as a consumer can request.  How will companies keep up with consumers’ plant-based dietary needs and wants? AndNowUKnow will continue to report.

Trader Joe's