NYC’s deli-in-store concept Plantega has announced that it’s launching a new menu with plant-based brand partners and a significant shift in products. Beginning the week of May 15, the company will launch its new menu at more than 40 bodega locations across New York City, as well as on food delivery platforms UberEats, DoorDash and Grubhub.
The new menu changes are as follows:
- Zero eggs Just replaces eggs (as an exclusive plant-based egg partner).
- do not Replaces Beyond Meat (burgers made with whole-meat breakfast sausage and jackfruit)
- Based in California Prime Roots Be-Hive will replace deli meat
- wicked kitchen Joins the menu with a wicked Italian meatball
- Wayfair Miyoko’s replaces butter and cream cheese (Wayfair’s Nacho Cheddar Cheese is on the menu as a top 5 sandwich seller)
- Food of the covenant American cheddar cheese replaces Follow Your Heart in about half of Plantager’s menu items
- brave food His new breaded plant-chicken patty will replace the Rebel
Several brands including Please Cheese, Good Catch Foods, Abbott’s Butcher and Umaro Bacon will be on the Plantega menu. According to Plantega, the changes will contribute to the growth of its platform as it works to make plant-based food easier to access in New York and beyond.
A threefold increase
Described as a community-driven food system, Plantega said it has tripled its footprint around the city since it launched in 2021. The concept can now be found in more than 40 bodegas and corner delis across Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan and the Bronx. Also, the menu has expanded from the initial 8 items to over 62 dishes (14 available in-store and the rest through food delivery.)
New delivery options include Cheesy Bacon Fries, a Philly Meatball Sub and Beefy BBQ Bowl.
“An Exciting New Model”
In an interview with Vegeconomist, founder Neil Zacharias said the company offers a “turnkey solution” that helps local grocers and kitchens prepare plant-based meals while providing valuable distribution and product trials for multiple brands.
“Currently, the market is saturated with hundreds of new plant-based brands all seeking to conduct product trials and distribution in a highly competitive and complex retail and foodservice environment,” says Zacharias. “However, the structures currently in place create food industry choke points and inefficiencies. That leaves both brands and consumers with limited options.”
He continued, “Plantega offers an alternative route for these brands to not only conduct product trials and build buzz, but also explore a redundant distribution channel to take their products to more consumers. I believe our approach represents an exciting new model that can scale within and beyond New York City. Our approach is to focus on empowerment to disrupt existing structures within the food system.