Whitbread has partnered with Nestlé Professional’s plant-based brand GARDEN GOURMET® to launch new meat-free dishes on menus at 1,200 of its pub, restaurant and hotel sites.
The new partnership sees the GARDEN GOURMET brand highlighted on menus across the company’s hotel, restaurant and pub estate at 800 Premier Inn sites and 400 pub and restaurants including Beefeater, Brewers Fayre, Bar + Block, Table Table, Whitbread Inns and Cookhouse + Pub sites, which serve over five million customers a month.
Serving something Sensational™
New Autumn menus for Beefeater, Brewers Fayre and Bar & Block, Table Table and Cookhouse + Pub feature the GARDEN GOURMET Sensational™ burger, which has been certified vegan by the European Vegetarian Union and is high in protein and fibre. On Beefeater and Bar & Block menus the burger features in The Sloppy Joe burger, with the vegan patty topped with a cheezy vegan slice, burger sauce and a sloppy joe mix of green lentils, mixed peppers, soya and chipotle. The GARDEN GOURMET Sensational™ Burger also features on festive menus for brands including Beefeater, Brewers Fayre and Cookhouse + Pub.
Guests to start day with Sensational™ sausages
The new GARDEN GOURMET Cumberland Sausage, which like the Sensational™ Burger is 100% plant-based, containing non-GMO soy is available on Whitbread’s new breakfast menus, including at the UK’s biggest hotel brand Premier Inn. The tasty and nutritious new sausages are also available on its kids’ menus as well as a veggie option for Brewer’s Fayre popular Ultimate Filled Yorkie dish on its main menu.
Trusted brand
GARDEN GOURMET is already a trusted plant-based protein brand to many hospitality operators including Young’s pubs, but Whitbread is the first hospitality operator to highlight the brand to its customers on menus. The GARDEN GOURMET Sensational™ range was also launched in retail last month.
Simon Jones, Managing Director for Premier Inn UK & Restaurants said, “We are delighted to offer increased customer choice with our tasty new vegan options. Debuting on our new autumn/winter main and breakfast menus, we hope that the GARDEN GOURMET Sensational™ Burger and the GARDEN GOURMET Cumberland Sausages will appeal to not only our vegan diners, but those looking to reduce their meat intake.”
Supporting growing demand
Research shows that 45% of meat-eaters aged 25–34 have cut down their meat consumption in recent months[1]. This, coupled with the fact that the number of Brits adopting a vegan diet in 2020 skyrocketed by 40%[2] shows the demand for plant-based dishes in the out-of-home sector is growing at pace.
Katya Simmons, Managing Director, Nestlé Professional UK & Ireland, said: “The growth in demand for plant-based products is being driven by two powerful trends: health and concern for the planet. Our GARDEN GOURMET range is an excellent source of fibre and protein*, contributing to a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle, and as part of our commitment to building a sustainable brand, is on track to become carbon neutral in 2022.”
She adds: “Through our partnership with Whitbread, we can share great-tasting, meat-free options with consumers, encouraging them to make healthy more sustainable choices when eating out of home.”
Strong customer appeal
GARDEN GOURMET carefully selects plant-based ingredients to create the look, taste, texture and cooking properties of meat without compromise on the dining out experience. The range also includes products such as mince, meat-style balls, and fillet pieces which are all versatile enough to be used in a selection of dishes.
*Images are for illustrative purposes and dishes may vary depending on outlet / brand.
[1] Menu Trends UK, Mintel, January 2021
