Grein: New Meat Substitute on the Market

CAROL ANGRISANI

CHICAGO — A new meat substitute made its debut Monday at the Private Label Manufacturers Association’s annual show.

Unlike other meat substitutes on the market, Grein is not made from soy. Rather, its source is vital wheat gluten, a natural protein found in wheat. Developed by FoodCause, Shepherdsville, Ky., in partnership with Knox Mountain Foods, Grein (which gets its name from merging the words green and grain) comes in a variety of forms and flavors, including chicken, beef and pork. Like real meat, it’s packed with protein: 19 grams per 3.2-ounce serving. But unlike real meat, Grein is fat- and cholesterol-free.

At the PLMA show, FoodCause sampled Grein in several skillet meals, as well as breaded chicken nuggets and grilled chicken strips.

FoodCause is marketing the product to private-label and national-brand marketers alike. It will match a portion of all sales with donation of Grein to local food banks and hunger relief organizations.

IMC Licensing represents Grein.