Ribs & Burgers broadens the conversation on plant-based eating with new ‘Beyond' burger range
The brand is seeing a more health-focused customer base.
Ribs & Burgers’ bread and butter, without question, is its meat-based offerings. From their 100% Angus beef to their premium rib cuts, the fast casual boutique restaurant brand is exceptionally proud of their heritage as meat specialists.
Enter the growing demand for plant-based food, which continues to disrupt the restaurant industry at a global scale. A select number of brands are already leading the trail of vegan-, vegetarian- and flexitarian-friendly options, aiming to get a larger share of the market.
Wanting to be at the forefront of this global movement, Ribs & Burgers has partnered with U.S.-based food company Beyond Meat to launch its own range of plant-based burgers that utilise the latter’s signature offering: The Beyond Burger patty.
The Beyond Burger range consists of the ‘Beyond Old School Cheese’ and ‘Beyond Original’ burgers, plant-based versions of their top-selling beef burgers. Aside from the patty, which contains 20 grams of plant-based protein and 0% cholesterol, the sauces, flavours and ingredients will remain exactly the same.
“Of late, more of our customers have been starting conversations with us about health and the fact that they don't want to compromise on the amazing tasting burgers they get from us but either they or someone in their family has been advised to limit their intake of meat-based foods,” Ribs & Burgers Food Manager Etienne Lubbe exclusively told QSR Media.
A closer look at Ribs & Burgers' new range. Photo: Supplied
The partnership with the distributors of Beyond Meat products started more than six months ago, as part of the brand's goal of looking for supply partners to give them the edge in a "very competitive space.”
“The conversation around a whole foods plant-based diet is still a bit of a whisper in Australia. By launching the Beyond Meat Burger range nationally across our stores we believe we will be turning that whisper into a scream,” Lubbe said.
They are also looking to assess the response to the upcoming burger range for future plant-based offerings they decide on doing. "This reaction will be a deciding factor in how we promote any future plant-based offerings at R&B,” Lubbe added.
But more than an answer to a worldwide food trend, Ribs & Burgers says the range signifies their intent to the changing needs of their customer base.
“This year we will endeavor to meet those needs with new healthy burgers, innovations on our ribs and soon, a new category which we hope will disrupt the burger category,” Lubbe said.
Ribs & Burgers’ Beyond burger range is set to launch on 11 March nationwide.
