McCain
Product Innovation
Plant-based appetizers turning over a new leaf.
2023
Winner of the fabi awardMcCain Foods USA is a leading supplier of frozen potato and snack food products across the country for foodservice, retail, and private label brands. Over the last several years, plant and vegetable-based appetizers have seen tremendous growth due to consumers’ evolving perceptions of health, environment, and animal welfare benefits. Today, McCain has an opportunity to leverage its capabilities in appetizers to create vegetable-forward alternatives that work seamlessly in foodservice operations.
Background.
The challenge.
To compete with - and steal share from - traditional meat-based appetizers, McCain sought to appeal to younger flexitarians, particularly shoppers who have not traditionally been heavy McCain consumers, with plant-based or veggie-forward options.
The insight.
The insight behind VDGZ's success was that plant-based products don't need to "pretend to be meat". (i.e. by reformulating plant substances into a literal imitation of animal protein). Instead, our target consumer wants whole vegetables - so long as they're craveable. Through applying skill with natural texture and flavor, whole vegetables become heroes.
Our activities.
Working hand in hand with the McCain team to fast-track product concepts and recipe development, TCE ideated several product concepts around “meat replacers” and “plant celebrators” that were vetted for consumer desirability, operator feasibility, and manufacturing viability. Then, we collaborated back and forth with the McCain R&D team to source and develop the craveable vegetable-forward appetizers with an eye to utilizing vegetables that were feasible from an operational standpoint and manufacturable through McCain guardrails.
Our results.
Lanching in Spring 2023, The V'DGZ line for Foodservice won the FABI award at the National Restaurant Association Show. In 2024 this was translated to a CPG line, named TAST!EZ, rolled out Across Canada and the USA.