The massive furniture chain has been catering to vegans recently. Just last month, IKEA introduced a vegan, strawberry soft-serve to the menu at all of its European locations. Now, the chain has announced its plans to serve a new vegan version of their popular Swedish meatball in all of its store restaurants worldwide.
This announcement from IKEA trails after other large companies, such as Burger King, announced their plant-based plans. Burger King will be introducing their Impossible Whopper nationwide after successful testing in St. Louis. Other large chains, such as White Castle, Subway, and Del Taco, have also stepped into plant-based territories with the addition of vegan-friendly menu items.
In a recent press release, IKEA stated that they are working on “the development of a new meatball that looks and tastes like meat but is made from plant-based alternative proteins.” The furniture chain is working on the meatballs with industry-leading suppliers and hopes to introduce the plant-based meatballs as early as next year, assuming successful tests and tastings.
In the press release, Michael La Cour – managing director of IKEA Food Services AB – said, “We see a growing demand from our customers to have access to more sustainable food options, and we want to meet that need. Our ambition is to make healthier and more sustainable eating easy, desirable and affordable, without compromising on taste and texture.”
