Tindle Foods is bringing its gourmet-style plant-based chicken to more American households than ever, expanding into more than 1,300 grocery stores nationwide. The move follows a major partnership with the Kroger family of stores, which adds over 500 new retail carriers, including Ralphs, Fred Meyer, and Smith’s.
The move also marks a ninefold increase in Tindle’s US retail presence over the past year. Consumers will also find Tindle’s full lineup of crispy breaded vegan chicken—including nuggets, tenders, and boneless wings—on shelves at Wegmans, Giant Eagle, Giant Food, Martin’s, and 13 Bristol Farms stores in Southern California.
Stuffed chicken goes national
“Our launch with Kroger, one of America’s largest retailers, is a major milestone for our young company,” Timo Recker, CEO and co-founder of Tindle, said in a statement. “With this expansion and introduction of Stuffed Chicken in their stores, we are able to reach more customers than ever before, while remaining deeply committed to offering the best-tasting, nutritious, and quality plant-based proteins we can create.”
Tindle
Available in Parmigiana and Tikka Masala varieties, the Stuffed Chicken entrées were designed to bridge gourmet flavor and convenience. Each crispy breaded cutlet comes filled with a seasoned plant-based center and can be heated in under ten minutes. Made with non-GMO ingredients and free from cholesterol, hormones, or antibiotics, each serving contains over ten grams of protein and is a good source of fiber.
“Since debuting our Stuffed Chicken range last year, the products have quickly become some of our top sellers, next to our popular Boneless Wings,” shares Billy Whalen, director of sales and marketing at Tindle. “We are seeing that consumers are looking for plant-based products that go beyond the basics—delivering on unmatched taste, convenience, and versatility–and we feel inspired to continue innovating to meet the needs of modern shoppers.”
The retail expansion arrives at a pivotal time for the plant-based meat category. Despite an initial boom in 2020 and 2021, the US market has faced headwinds in the past year. According to IRI data shared by the Good Food Institute, US retail sales of plant-based meat fell by 12 percent in dollar sales and 20 percent in unit sales in 2023. However, some segments are proving more resilient—particularly prepared and frozen meals with more complex flavor profiles or formats that mimic traditional proteins in form and function.
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Within that context, Tindle’s strategic shift from food service to retail has been gaining traction. Originally known for its restaurant partnerships, the company is now leaning into freezer-friendly products that cater to a more home-cooked experience. Its US offerings echo what made the brand a hit in Europe and Asia: realistic chicken textures, familiar breading formats, and flavors that mimic comfort food staples.
Plant-based chicken boom
Globally, the alternative chicken market is poised for growth. A recent report by Future Market Insights projects that the global plant-based chicken market will surpass $19.6 billion by 2033, expanding at a compound annual growth rate of 14.6 percent. Analysts point to increasing demand for healthier, protein-rich alternatives to animal products, along with improvements in taste and accessibility.
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The company’s growing presence in mainstream supermarkets is a shift from its original premium positioning. In earlier years, Tindle made headlines for its restaurant-only approach, launching in fine dining establishments before slowly branching out into quick-service restaurants and, more recently, frozen grocery. Its pivot mirrors a broader industry trend: plant-based startups that once prioritized exclusivity or niche appeal are now competing for space in crowded freezers alongside legacy meat brands and other alternative proteins.
Tindle
Consumers appear receptive to this evolution, particularly when the offerings meet the trifecta of taste, texture, and ease of preparation. According to a 2023 survey from the Plant Based Foods Association, 72 percent of respondents said they were more likely to buy plant-based meat if it resembled traditional meat in taste and mouthfeel. Tindle’s breaded nuggets and stuffed entrées aim to deliver on that expectation with a culinary edge.
In 2022, Tindle Foods raised $100 million in Series A funding—one of the largest rounds for a plant-based startup that year. The company has since continued to scale manufacturing and R&D efforts while entering more global markets, including the UK, Germany, and the Netherlands. Its US retail expansion marks a significant step toward competing with category leaders like Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods, which have long dominated freezer space at national chains.
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