Dairy giant FrieslandCampina makes UK alt meat debut with Tender’lish

By: Trademagazin editor Date: 2023. 08. 21. 09:55

European dairy giant FrieslandCampina has launched into the UK alt meat market for the first time with a new vegetarian chicken alternative range. The Tender’lish brand will arrive in UK grocery from early October.

The range has already performed well in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands, according to the Dutch dairy co-op, and would now be “the centrepiece of FrieslandCampina’s strategy to invigorate the UK meat-free category”, the supplier told The Grocer this week.

The chicken alternative product is made of 60% skimmed milk and is therefore not suitable for vegan consumers. However, the brand said its dairy content made it a source of high-quality protein and calcium. It added this base also made it more succulent with a “moist mouthfeel”, designed to replicate the fibrous layers found in real chicken. The range was also said to be a good source of fibre and iron.

The UK launch of Tender’lish will be supported by an ATL campaign, representing an investment of £2m in 2024, alongside shopper activations, sampling, and social and digital marketing activity.

The launch also marks the latest push by a major dairy company into meat-free using dairy as the key ingredient. Lactalis UK & Ireland launched a Seriously Cheese Burgers line last month, with the aim of providing consumers with a vegetarian alternative to standard burgers.

The Grocer