World’s Largest Meat Company to Debut New Vegan Meat Line in US

Starting in April, new brand OZO will debut a variety of plant-based meat products at retailers across the United States. The brand is owned by Planterra Foods—a US-based subsidiary of Brazil’s JBS SA, the world’s largest meat company—and will launch with burgers, grounds (in plain and Mexican-seasoned flavors), and Italian-style meatballs, all made with a blend of pea and rice protein that is fermented with the help of shiitake mushrooms. The product line will be priced between $5.99 to $7.99 and packaged in recyclable containers. “We recognize there are other protein offerings out there, which is why we’re adamant on having strong points of difference in our products,” Planterra Foods CEO Darcey Macken said. “This category needs better tasting food from real ingredients that appeals to the whole family, and we’re confident that OZO products deliver.” To promote the launch, OZO will embark on a nationwide tour starting this spring and through December, with the aim of giving 750,000 customers a taste of the new vegan meat line.

In Brazil, JBS launched the plant-based Incrível (Incredible) Burger under its Seara Alimentos brand last year and opened the Incredible Lab, its plant-based innovation hub, in January. This year, the company will launch five new ready-to-eat products in its plant-based portfolio across Brazil, which include vegan beef and chicken burgers, a breaded chicken snack, beef kibe, and flavored beef. JBS is not the only meat company in Brazil tapping into the global plant-based movement. Last year, Burger King began testing the Rebel Whopper at 58 outlets across Brazil’s capital, São Paulo, made with a plant-based patty supplied by Marfrig Global Foods SA—the world’s largest producer of animal-based hamburgers.