Beginning in July, grocery shoppers will find CHi Foods’ new plant-based faux ground pork products, including CHi-rizo, Italian Herb and Original offerings, in approximately 380 Sprouts Farmers Market stores in the United States. They will also be also be available to order at the GTFO It’s Vegan e-commerce website.
“Most plant-based meat alternatives on the market are highly processed. Current products almost exclusively use wheat, pea or soy protein – often including GMOs. That’s not sustainable, nor are such products necessarily healthful,” said Tucker Garrison, co-founder of Santa Barbara, California-headquartered CHi Foods, the producer of America’s first regenerative, certified organic, plant-based meat products made from protein-rich, nutrient-dense sacha inchi nuts, or CHi nuts.
“That’s why we launched CHi Foods, because you can do plant-based in a way that doesn’t have any sketchy ingredients. Our products are minimally processed, taste delicious and have the look, taste and texture of pork. We’re speaking to people who care about whole foods, who care about their health and the wellbeing of the planet, and who want to be able to eat plant-based products without compromise,” stated Tucker.
Harvested from a perennial vine grown in Thailand, CHi nuts contain eight times the omega-3 essential fatty acids of salmon, four times the protein of macadamia nuts, and zero net carbohydrates. Touted as one of the world’s healthiest superfoods, they have been valued as a highly nutritious food source by native cultures for thousands of years.
All CHi Foods products are USDA Certified Organic, free of soy, gluten and other common food allergens, and suitable for Keto and Paleo diets. A blend of organic, regeneratively produced sacha inchi nuts and fava bean protein combines to create a complete amino acid profile in all CHi Foods products.
Increased Distribution
With the launch into Sprouts Farmers Market and GTFO It’s Vegan, CHi Foods will have nationwide availability. The product line, distributed in frozen form, can be slacked out into refrigerated cases or merchandised in frozen bunkers.
“We’re excited to partner with these retail leaders to bring our products to plant-based consumers. We serve those that are ‘plant curious,’ as well as people who just want to reduce the amount of meat in their diet, and are seeking great tasting, organic, whole food options,” Tucker said.
Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, Sprouts Farmers Market is one of the largest and fastest growing specialty retailers of natural and organic products in North America, employing over 30,000 workers in 23 states. It reported revenue of $6.1 billion in 2021.
“GTFO It’s Vegan is excited to partner with CHi Foods and be the first to launch their innovative portfolio of new products into the market. CHi’s line of clean label products definitely moves the organic plant-based space forward by a huge leap,” said Marc Pierce, co-founder and chief executive officer of the e-commerce purveyor of vegan and plant based foods from around the world.