May 15th, 2023
6 mins
Wicked Kitchen, the chef-driven and 100% plant-based global food brand with an extensive range of chef-created products and Booker, the market leading wholesale provider in the U.K., have come together to offer the largest line up of vegan options for food service and cash and carry just in time for summer menus.
Booker now offers a range of Wicked Kitchen’s catering packs companywide at its 195 locations – with additional offerings coming this summer— to meet consumer demand for craveable, chef-crafted plant-based foods. This launch comes at a time when 77% of U.K. consumers feel there are not enough choices or that plant-based is not available when they go out.* Booker and Wicked Kitchen will overcome these barriers by offering restaurants, pubs, and caterers quick, convenient, and deliciously versatile food service options including Wicked’s meal solution pouches, breakfast pastries, savory pies, burgers, sausages, desserts, and ice creams, capitalizing on Wicked Kitchen’s expansive variety of bold-flavoured foods.
“As chefs who grew up in restaurants and catering, we love Booker and are honored to offer a one-stop solution while also helping to inspire chefs and food service operators with amazing vegan foods that are versatile and easy to prepare,” said Chef Derek Sarno, co-founder of Wicked Kitchen. “By bringing the largest variety of plant-based products for food service to market, we are meeting consumer requests for flavour-forward, 100% vegan catering packs. Our foods appeal to vegans and omnivores alike.”
In addition to meeting food service demand for full-flavour, chef-crafted plant-based foods, Booker’s commitment to expand its vegan selection supports its sustainability goals as plant-based products are recognized as better for the environment because of a lower carbon footprint when compared to their animal protein counterparts.
Starting with frozen items found in a dedicated space at all Booker wholesale locations, and available for direct ordering online, Booker now carries:
- Sourdough Pain Au Chocolate
- Tantalising Tikka Pouches
- Smoky Chilli Pouches
- Sweet Potato & Vegetable Tikka Pies
- No-Chicken Pies
- Chorizo Style Sausages
- Italian Inspired Amazeballs
- Jalapeño Griller Burgers
- Sticky Toffee Puddings
Additional products available soon with more to come include:
- Sourdough Croissants
- Vanilla Ice Dream
- Cookie Dough Ice Dream
- Berry White Ice Dream Novelty Sticks
- Chilli Not Dogs
“We’re excited to launch into food service in the U.K. with such a great partner as Booker that not only has wide reach but a strong commitment to offering the very best in choice, price and service,” said Pete Speranza, CEO, Wicked Kitchen. “We are a ‘for-chefs-by-chefs’ operation on a mission to help restaurants, pubs, hotels and caterers offer irresistible meals and menu items that cater to all tastebuds without sacrificing taste or convenience.”
Wicked Kitchen was first launched in the U.K. at Tesco in 2018 by chefs and brothers Derek Sarno and Chad Sarno, helping to fuel the plant-based movement with more than 150 products featured in Tesco locations. The brand expanded globally in 2021 into the U.S. and in 2022 into Finland and Thailand.
Wicked Kitchen launched into food service in the U.S. last year partnering with the National Basketball Association’s Minnesota Timberwolves team to offer one of the first plant-based concessions in the U.S. at the team’s home arena, Target Center. Additionally, the brand’s offerings are available in a multitude of large-scale arenas and stadiums as well as theaters and convention centers across the U.S.
*ProVeg, Plant-Based Food in the UK report, 2020, Market and Consumer Insights
