Mars Food is to launch a plant-based spin-off range for its Ben’s Original brand.
The range – called Ben’s Plant Powered – will include “plant-based versions of some of the UK’s favourite meals”, debuting with three flavours – Chilli Non-Carne, Spicy Lentil Stew and Tikka Masala.
They will be microwaveable in 90 seconds.
Mars Food was “seeing a permanent shift in eating habits in the UK”, said Ben’s Original marketing manager Gareth Williams. Shoppers were “increasingly looking for ‘health’ offerings in their diet”, he added.
“While this is a broad definition, plant-based diets are a critical part of this and here to stay.”
The Plant Powered range was “co-created with consumers to help us provide easy to prepare and delicious meat-free versions of best-loved recipes”, he said, adding they were designed to “pair perfectly with our ready-to-heat rice range because we know that when people eat plant-based, rice dishes over-index as their meal of choice”.
Launch date and retail listings are yet to be confirmed.
It comes on the back of a transformative year for the brand, previously Uncle Ben’s, which was re-imagined as Ben’s Original last year.
However the brand’s sales have faltered: over the 52 weeks to 1 January 2022 its sales fell 25.6% to £165m [NielsenIQ].
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