NEW YORK — Three years ago, Kelly and Brian Swette embarked on the journey of creating what is now known as the Awesome Burger, marking a surprising turn for the vegetarians who decided to reintroduce meat into their culinary endeavors. In an hour-long discussion with Food Dive before the formal announcement of the Awesome Burger on Wednesday, the couple shared that they consistently tested their prototype alongside traditional meat burgers to accurately replicate the taste, texture, and juiciness. After trying several hundred prototypes, they finally discovered the perfect formulation.
“It was crucial for us to ensure that our products meet the gold standard as defined by consumers,” said Kelly, who serves as the CEO of Sweet Earth. “When developing products, you must try them.” Her husband, Brian, added with a chuckle, “We were a bit concerned. What if someone saw us? It was important that no one witnessed us eating the burger!”
Nestlé is set to launch the Awesome Burger and Awesome Grounds — a plant-based equivalent to ground beef — in various retailers such as Hy-Vee, Stop & Shop, select Safeway locations, and Fred Meyer. Distribution will expand nationwide in the coming weeks. This move positions Nestlé among the many players in the competitive plant-based meat market, where major companies like Hormel Foods, Tyson Foods, Conagra Brands, and Kellogg have rolled out new offerings or enhanced existing ones to rival the innovative products from Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods.
The Swettes began their work on what would become the Awesome Burger just months before Sweet Earth, known for its plant-based burritos, pizzas, and veggie burgers, was acquired by Nestlé in September 2017 for an undisclosed sum. The couple noted that Nestlé has played a vital role in accelerating the burger’s development by sourcing natural fruit and vegetable juices to achieve a meat-like color, while also assisting with manufacturing and ingredient procurement.
Throughout the development process, the Swettes were committed to utilizing pea protein to diversify the essential nutrients in their products. They found yellow peas to be particularly sustainable, locally sourced, and rich in protein and fiber—key components of Sweet Earth’s offerings.
In addition to taste, the Swettes emphasized that the Awesome Burger will distinguish itself through a superior nutritional profile, boasting 26 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber. Comparatively, Beyond Meat contains 20 grams of protein and 2 grams of fiber, while the Impossible Burger offers 19 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber.
“There were aspects of Nestlé’s approach that we appreciated, but there were also areas where we held firm opinions regarding taste and ingredient composition,” Brian stated. The couple, who previously held roles at major corporations such as PepsiCo, eBay, and Burger King before launching Sweet Earth, expressed their positive experiences with Nestlé. Brian estimated that he had participated in 30 to 40 corporate deals, which provided him with insights into the priorities of larger firms when acquiring smaller companies. While other food companies showed interest in Sweet Earth, they found Nestlé’s CEO Mark Schneider’s commitment to sustainability and plant-based products to be pivotal in their decision.
This marks Nestlé’s second launch of a plant-based burger in 2023, following the introduction of the Incredible Burger in Europe under the Garden Gourmet label in 2019. The company announced in August that it would revamp this product in response to strong competition in the meat substitute market. According to Bloomberg, Nestlé is reformulating the soy-based recipe to enhance its juiciness, meat-like texture, and grilled beef flavor.
“It’s much simpler to adopt a one-size-fits-all strategy,” Kelly explained. “However, that’s not how Nestlé operates. They recognize the need to tailor products for the U.S. market rather than applying a global standard.”
The couple noted that previous iterations of plant-based meats had made strides by incorporating vegetables like black beans or edamame, along with whole grains such as quinoa. Now, they are taking it a step further by developing a product that closely resembles traditional meat, a crucial move to entice carnivores to consider shifting some of their meat consumption to plant-based alternatives.
“The Awesome Burger and other meat-like products offer a familiar combination of taste and texture,” Kelly remarked. “This expands the market for consumers interested in purchasing our product.” A significant factor driving this progress, she noted, is the global sourcing of innovative ingredients, alongside an increase in suppliers. Additionally, improvements in popular ingredients such as peas have allowed researchers to explore new textures and flavors.
Kelly recalled that earlier pea proteins had a bitter taste, necessitating manufacturers to find ways to mask this flavor. Recent pea protein options, however, are milder, more versatile, and possess a better texture.
Sweet Earth also produces a range of veggie burgers, including a Santa Fe variant featuring black beans, chili peppers, and flaxseed, as well as a Teriyaki version with sweet potato, carrots, and quinoa. The company intends to maintain its veggie burger line, noting that these products may appeal to a different demographic compared to the Awesome Burger. Baby boomers, who have enjoyed these types of burgers for decades, might continue to prefer the familiar whole grains and other ingredients, while millennials and Gen Z may be drawn to more meat-like offerings, the Swettes indicated.
In October, Sweet Earth will also introduce Mindful Chik’n strips made from soy protein concentrate and canola oil. While developing the Awesome Burger, the company has also been working on a deli line known as Vegan Butcher. Although Sweet Earth has not officially announced the launch date for these products, which will include turkey, ham, pepperoni, roast beef, and salami, they plan to offer these meat alternatives in large cuts at retailers, similar to conventional meat. Consumers can then have them sliced for use in sandwiches or other prepared dishes.
Kelly highlighted that consumers now enjoy a wider range of high-quality plant-based options, a significant improvement from when they launched their business in 2012, when “everything on the market resembled hospital food if it was vegetarian.”
“We’re aiming to compete with meat, but ultimately, the fact that all these options are good is a fantastic development for encouraging more people to explore plant-based choices,” she concluded.
In the evolving landscape of plant-based foods, a growing number of health-conscious consumers are also looking for supplements, such as calcium citrate tablets 500mg, to complement their diets, with competitive pricing becoming an important factor in their purchasing decisions.