South Korean food and beverage company Shinsegae Food Inc. is continuing its growth as its meat alternative product line Better Meat expands reach through product diversification.

Shinsegae Food announced Monday that the cumulative sales of Better Meat bread at bakeries in Emart Inc. stores nationwide have exceeded 220,000 units. The high performance comes in nine months after the company launched its first product, Better Meat Cold Cut Toast, in October last year at bakery stores in Emart, including E-BAKERY and BOULANGERIE.

Since its launch in July 2021, Better Meat has diversified its product lineup to include cold-cut sliced ham, vegan canned ham, sausage patties, frankfurters and meatballs. The number of items also expanded with burgers and croissants added to the lineup. The cumulative sales of Better Meat Pizza Bread, launched on July 6, surpassed 12,000 units within a week of its launch and was sold out early at some stores.

This success comes as meat alternatives have started gaining traction among consumers shifting to value consumption with a focus on animal welfare and the environment and as their enhanced taste and quality lead to repurchases. Meat alternatives or substitutes have achieved a significant level of flavor and texture resembling those of existing meats, and the taste difference has been further reduced through secondary processing into products such as sausage and ham.

Better Meat is also expanding into the home meal replacement (HMR) market. In April, Shinsegae Food launched its first products incorporating the Better Meat line into its premium snack brand, Olbaan, including Better Corn Dog, Tomato Sauce with Better Meat Meatballs, and Olbaan Dumplings. Sales of the three products jumped by an average of 198 percent in June from the previous month. The company is also expanding its eco-friendly menu utilizing Better Meat products in its catering business. Meanwhile, Starbucks Coffee Co. released three products in collaboration with Better Meat on June 29: Plant Meatball Cheese Sandwich, Plant SoupMeat Egg Focaccia, and Plant Meatball.

By Park Hongju and Choi Jieun

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