Central Foods launches new KaterVeg! gluten-free and vegan mince

Frozen food distributor Central Foods has launched a new gluten-free and vegan mince for foodservice and catering customers as demand for plant-based products continues to rise.

The KaterVeg! vegan mince is high in protein and low in fat and can be used as a meat substitute in a wide range of dishes from spaghetti bolognaise and chilli to lasagne and shepherd’s pie.

It is the only frozen vegan mince currently available to foodservice operators that is also suitable for those on a gluten-free diet and is the perfect ingredient for catering operations across the sector, including schools, care homes, universities, pubs and restaurants.

“Vegan and plant-based options have been growing in popularity for some time but according to Mintel, a quarter of young British millennials say that the coronavirus pandemic has made a vegan diet more appealing,” explained Gordon Lauder, MD of Central Foods.

“The June survey also revealed that a vegan diet was proving more attractive to around 12% of Brits, rising to more than 20% of Londoners, since the start of the pandemic. This illustrates how important it is for foodservice operators to include delicious vegan options on their menus.

“Vegan mince is a great ingredient to have in any professional kitchen, as it’s easy and convenient to use, is versatile, and is healthy and tasty too. The KaterVeg! vegan mince has the added benefit of being gluten-free, as well as being high in protein, low in fat, low in sugar, a source of fibre and with salt levels below the PHE 2017 targets.”

The vegan mince is the latest product to have been added by Central Foods to its KaterVeg! vegan and vegetarian range. The seasoned soya mince is made with textured soya protein and is available in 1kg packs – making it suitable for home orders and delivery as well as bulk sales to foodservice customers.

Northamptonshire-based Central Foods is one of the UK’s leading frozen food distributors, supplying hundreds of different lines into foodservice, ranging from vegetarian and free-from items, meat products, bakery items and canapés through to buffet products, desserts and puddings. It currently sells to more than 240 independent wholesalers, as well as larger national and regional wholesalers, and foodservice caterers across the entire foodservice industry including schools, universities, pubs, bars, restaurants, hotels, leisure centres, garden centres, cafés, care homes and many other outlets.