McCain
Product Innovation
Plant-based appetizers turning over a new leaf.
2023
WINNER OF THE FABI AWARD
“Introducing VDGZ”
Background.
McCain Foods USA is a leading supplier of frozen potato and snack food products across the country for foodservice, retail, and private label brands. Over the last several years, plant and vegetable-based appetizers have seen tremendous growth due to consumers’ evolving perceptions of health, environment, and animal welfare benefits. Today, McCain has an opportunity to leverage its capabilities in appetizers to create vegetable-forward alternatives that work seamlessly in foodservice operations.
The challenge.
To compete with - and steal share from - traditional meat-based appetizers, McCain sought to appeal to younger flexitarians, particularly shoppers who have not traditionally been heavy McCain consumers, with plant-based or veggie-forward options.
The insight.
Through evaluating the flexitarian and non-flexitarian guest, existing menus, and foodservice operational needs, TCE uncovered two specific insights around vegetable-forward appetizers that helped pave the way for product development. The first is that there are many vegetable proxies that adequately imitate existing meat-based appetizers. The second, and more radical, is that there is a consumer desire to actually showcase plant-based ingredients and whole vegetable substrates as the “hero” ingredient in a given SKU.
Our activities.
Working hand in hand with the McCain team to fast-track product concepts and recipe development, TCE ideated several product concepts around “meat replacers” and “plant celebrators” that were vetted for consumer desirability, operator feasibility, and manufacturing viability. Then, we collaborated back and forth with the McCain R&D team to source and develop the craveable vegetable-forward appetizers with an eye to utilizing vegetables that were feasible from an operational standpoint and manufacturable through McCain guardrails.
Our results.
The V’DGZ line launched in Spring 2023, “Playful plant and vegetable shareables made deliciously craveable”. The CAULI WNGZ, CORN RBZ, and BRUSSLZ were all ideated and developed by The Culinary Edge and won the 2023 FABI award, celebrating the most forward thinking and creative new tastes that drive trends, delight customers, and deliver expanded menu offerings across the industry.