Birds Eye is adding to its plant-powered Green Cuisine range, with the launch of three more Chicken-Free options. The new Chicken-Free products will see Crispy Grills, Southern Fried Grills, and Burgers hit shelves from mid-May, helping to bring a wider choice of meat-free alternatives to shoppers in the frozen aisle. Taking inspiration from the brand’s much-loved chicken portfolio, Birds Eye has seen over 31% of total Green Cuisine sales come from the three Chicken-Free SKUs launched in 2020 (meat-free Dippers, Nuggets and Strips)[2].

Bird Eye’s foray into Chicken-Free has helped bring new shoppers into the category, with penetration of the Green Cuisine range now up to +8.7%[1]. With shoppers, now more than ever, looking to the freezer for extra meal-time inspiration, the new launches will emulate the most popular products in the Birds Eye chicken portfolio, making meat-free eating easy and appealing to those shoppers who also want to reduce their meat intake.

Jess Ali, Marketing Manager at Birds Eye, said: “Our Green Cuisine Chicken-Free products have gone from strength to strength since our first launches in 2020. Shoppers love both our great tasting chicken products and our Green Cuisine alternatives, which makes us proud to be able to cater for all family members. This extension of the Green Cuisine chicken-free range will continue to play off recognisable formats that shoppers already enjoy, but that are powered by plant protein.

“The combination of our heritage in frozen food and our reputation for producing family mealtime favourites such as Chicken Grills and Chicken Dippers has helped to make these products so successful and popular. By recreating mealtime classics using plant power, these new additions to our Green Cuisine range will continue to help shoppers to add meat substitutes to their plates, showing them that plant-based meals can be just as tasty and convenient.”

Birds Eye’s 2020 launch into meat-free chicken alternatives, with plant-based strips, dippers and nuggets, was very popular amongst shoppers – with the dippers winning Product of the Year 2021[4]. With 46% of Green Cuisine sales coming through NPD^[5], the range’s success has also seen the brand expand into frozen bakery products including meat-free sausage rolls and vegan pies. To further the brand’s efforts to make eating meat-free more mainstream and promoting the power of plants, Birds Eye’s Green Cuisine brand has become the official plant-based supporter of Team GB ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

The Birds Eye Green Cuisine Chicken-Free Southern Fried Grill is already available in Tesco, while the

Chicken-Free Crispy Grill and the Chicken-Free burger will launch from mid-May in Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons.

[2] Nielsen MAT TY 27.03.21

[1] Kantar MAT 52 Weeks 18.04.21

[4] Nielsen MAT TY 26.12.2020

[5] Nielsen Scantrack data Latest 4 weeks value sales to 28.11.2020