Vegan Fried Chicken and Steak Launch at Whole Foods in Northern California

Vegan fried chicken brand Better Chew recently launched its products at 46 Whole Foods Markets in Northern California. Better Chew’s Fried Chicken, Bar-B-Chew Chicken, Shredded Chicken, and Philly Shredded Steak—made with non-GMO soybeans, garbanzo beans, and brown rice—are available in the freezer section of the supermarket. Founded by GW Chew, the brand is a Public Benefit Corporation (B-Corp)—which means it operates in a responsible and sustainable way and for public benefit—and strives to create food solutions that are affordable and accessible for all people, and specifically those in underserved communities. “I was adopted at birth into a family with a last name ‘Chew,’ and I believe I was born with a mission, born with a purpose, and born to change lives one chew at a time,” Chew told VegNews. “I grew up in the ‘country’ in a family of very heavy meat eaters and noticed over time that a lot of different diseases, from diabetes to cancer, plagued the members of my family.” After learning about the link between disease and overconsumption of animal products, Chew adopted a plant-based diet in 2001 and began creating vegan food products in 2004. “I painstakingly invented the Better Chew proteins in my mom’s kitchen and perfected the textures and taste over the past 15 years,” Chew said. On January 1, Chew will launch a direct-to-consumer subscription box service, BetterChewBox.com, which will allow customers to purchase a customized box from a selection of exclusive vegan products such as additional flavors of Better Chew fried chicken, seafood, and shredded meat. Better Chew can also be found in restaurants such as The Vegan Mob and The Veg Hub in Oakland, CA, and is expanding to other foodservice outlets in 2020.