High-Protein, High-Fibre: Daring Foods Drops Frozen Skillet Meals with Plant-Based Chicken

US plant-based meat maker Daring Foods has rolled out a line of skillet meals at Sprouts Farmers Market, aiming to capitalise on the protein and fibre craze that has gripped the nation.

Daring Foods, which makes a wide range of vegan chicken products, has announced its largest multi-SKU launch to date with the expansion of its frozen meal lineup.

The Los Angeles-based brand has unveiled multi-serve skillet meals that combine its soy protein chicken with vegetables, legumes, grains and pasta. Their USP? They’re high in protein and fibre, the two most in-demand nutrients in the US.

Five of the six varieties are debuting exclusively at Sprouts Farmers Market stores nationwide, with additional retailers expected to carry the range later this year.

A plant-based meal lineup fit for the GLP-1 era?

The skillet meal line builds on Daring’s focus on convenient, complete meal options. Each bag has 2.5 servings and can be prepared in one pan in around 10 minutes, making for a quick lunch or dinner.

The Mediterranean-spiced chickpeas and veggies meal contains peppers, red onions, garlic and shawarma spice; the smoky veggie chilli combines beans and vegetables in a smoky tomato sauce, the teriyaki stir-fry comprises broccoli, peppers, mushrooms, water chestnuts and edamame, and the power grains and greens bowl is a mix of quinoa, kale, edamame, red peppers, chillies and onion.

The range also has two pasta dishes: lemon-and-garlic rotini with vegetables and penne in pomodoro sauce with red peppers and mushrooms. Each of the six varieties contains Daring’s flagship, clean-label chicken alternative, which blends soy protein concentrate with vegetable oil, salt, spices, and natural flavours.

The ready-to-heat meals deliver 21-25g of protein and 9-13g of fibre per serving. That will appeal to the 57% of Americans who plan to prioritise protein this year. Most of the country is fibre-deficient, too, a dietary gap that online trends like fibermaxxing are looking to fill.

For Daring, GLP-1 users could be a key target. They already represent 11% of the adult population, and eat 40% more protein and 30% more fibre.

This is because people using weight-loss drugs experience a 25-40% decrease in muscle mass over eight to 16 months (several times more than non-medicated weight loss approaches and age-related muscle loss). Meanwhile, dietary fibre can trigger the body’s natural GLP-1 response, helping your gut bacteria produce the short-chain fatty acids that regulate appetite and keep you feeling full.

A recent Boston Consulting Group (BCG) survey found that active GLP-1 users plan to spend 15% more each month on fruits and vegetables, 11% more on high-protein foods, and 10% more on fibre and whole grains, so it’s a ripe market for products like Daring’s plant-based meals.

Can protein and fibre positioning turn around the plant-based ready meal segment?

“Shoppers are increasingly looking for convenient meals that deliver on more than one need. Skillet meals bring together protein, fibre, convenience, and globally inspired flavours,” said JJ Kass, VP of sales at Daring.

“We’re thrilled to introduce these new items to Sprouts shoppers, who are highly engaged in discovering innovative, better-for-you products that make eating well easier without compromising on taste,” she added.

The meals join Daring’s existing line of plant-based chicken products, which include single-serve microwavable entrée bowls and microwavable diced and shredded chicken alternatives.

The company will hope the protein and fibre credentials of its new line can help the ready meal category jump out of its slump. The US plant-based meat category saw a 10% dip in retail sales last year, while the vegan meal segment fell even harder, declining 12%.

Moreover, purchases of frozen meals shrink when people begin using GLP-1 medications, although they rebound among lapsed users, according to the BCG poll. Meal replacement drinks, however, are set to benefit with a 3% higher expenditure among active users.

“We believe the foods people love can be better, and Daring skillet meals are an important next step,” said Daring CEO Chris Coburn. “They bring that idea to life – familiar, flavorful meals made with Daring protein, vegetables, grains and simple ingredients.”

He called it “another step in expanding what Daring can bring to the table, giving people more convenient ways to eat well without compromising on taste”.

The company has been a subsidiary of Australian plant protein player v2food since last year, and launched original and Cajun-flavoured chicken pieces in Woolworths stores in May.