Plant-based pioneer is positioned for record growth with category-leading pea protein innovation, a full brand redesign, and the largest consumer campaign in its 40-year history.
Lightlife Foods (“Lightlife”), the #1 refrigerated alternative protein brand in U.S. retail, is introducing a new plant-based burger that delivers the sensory experience consumers crave from a beef burger. Created with culinary expertise, familiar ingredients, and balanced nutrition, the Lightlife® Burger is the hero of a new pea protein-based product line free of GMOs, gluten, soy and artificial flavors. These innovative products introduce the Lightlife® brand to a new set of consumers, spearheading a full brand redesign to mark its 40th anniversary.
Including the Lightlife® Burger, Lightlife® Ground, Lightlife® Bratwurst Sausage, and Lightlife® Italian Sausage, the new line offers the taste, texture, aroma and appearance of traditional meat, but is made of plants, giving you a familiar taste that fills you up without weighing you—or the planet—down.
The Lightlife® Burger has 20 grams of pea protein with 0 grams of cholesterol and only 2.5 grams of saturated fat in a quarter-pound patty, compared to 80 grams of cholesterol and 9.3 grams of saturated fat in a quarter-pound patty made from traditional beef. Thanks to a culinary approach to product development, the Lightlife® Burger is made from familiar ingredients—including high-quality pea protein, virgin coconut oil, and beet powder, which work together to make a juicy and meaty burger. Because it’s grown to grill, cooking the burger over an open flame will enrich its tender, beefy texture.
“With 40 years of leadership in plant-based food innovation, we understand taste is a priority for all consumers,” says Dan Curtin, President of Lightlife Foods. “We didn’t join the plant-based category overnight—we’ve long been pioneering the industry. Our new burger is delicious thanks to decades of culinary know-how, and we know we’ll be serving up an entirely better experience for consumers who want a break from traditional meat or whose palates are craving a new adventure. It’s not science—it’s just good food.”
With the plant-based category experiencing rapid growth, Lightlife is tapping into its deep customer relationships and extensive distribution to bring the product to market quickly. In the U.S., the Lightlife® Burger starts shipping to foodservice this month and hits grocery store shelves starting in late March, with more products quickly following. The Canadian launch follows suit in April.
Lightlife’s new core line appeals to consumers at all points on the plant-based journey, whether someone is simply seeking to reduce their meat consumption or is already a committed vegetarian or vegan.
The new robust core line of products includes:
- Lightlife® Plant-Based Burger: With the same great taste and juicy texture as traditional beef, the Lightlife® Burger packs 20g of plant-based protein per serving, with fewer, more familiar ingredients and less saturated fat than products currently on market.
- Lightlife® Plant-Based Bratwurst Sausage: With the balanced combination of herbs and spices traditionally found in a bratwurst, the Lightlife® Bratwurst Sausage delivers the complex taste and texture of a traditional brat.
- Lightlife® Plant-Based Italian Sausage: With the juicy, meaty texture of a traditional pork sausage, Lightlife®Italian Sausage sizzles on a grill or in a pan and is versatile enough to shine in a range of recipes.
- Lightlife® Plant-Based Ground: With the same great taste and juicy texture as traditional ground beef, the Lightlife® Ground is made to be a flexible fridge staple that can be used in every ground meat dish, from lasagna to tacos to chili.
The introduction of the new line marks Lightlife’s most significant innovation launch and consumer campaign in the brand’s history since its founding in 1979.
“Driven by our best-in-class R&D team, we’ve been able to develop these amazing new products in record time. This core line will attract new consumers to the brand and delight those who have been on the plant-based journey with Lightlife over the last 40 years,” says Michael Lenahan, Vice President of Marketing for Lightlife Foods. “The new branding is more vibrant and contemporary while staying true to our rich heritage in natural foods, reflecting the category’s growing consumer base. Combined with our core line innovation, the biggest campaign in the brand’s history, and a rich pipeline of new products across our broad portfolio, we are excited to continue to lead this dynamic category in the U.S. and Canada into the future.”
The official launch of the burger will be the first time Lightlife unveils its new look. The redesign rolls out across Lightlife’s full product portfolio throughout the summer with more innovative new items to follow.
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…and join the journey on social at @LightlifeFoods.
