At Cardinal we are not just ‘meat specialists’, we are ‘protein specialists’. Did you know that, over 25 years ago, Cardinal developed and brought to market the first ever veggie-burger in Canada? Since then, we’ve been expanding our portfolio of Plant-Based products to meet growing consumer demand. Under our Betterplant™ plant-based protein brand, we have an array of plant-based product solutions for retail, foodservice & industrial applications that deliver on our promise of providing our customers plant-based products that are a substitute without sacrifice.
PROBLEM: The plant-based market in Canada has always been relatively small in relation to traditional meat-based proteins, however in recent years, consumers’ attitudes towards protein consumption have continued to grow and evolve. The marketplace has seen growth, not just through an increase in vegan or vegetarian consumers, but also in seeing consumers seeking healthier lifestyle choices, including alternatives to meat. The number of plant-based producers and product options have been relatively limited over the years. Consumers looking for alternatives to meat have traditionally been presented with options that are either from smaller niche brands whose products haven’t delivered on taste, or products produced by major branded companies that are more expensive compared to traditional proteins.
SOLUTION: Cardinal saw this trend and consumer need as something that was sorely missing in the plant-based market. As experts in the burger category, we understood what made a great burger eating experience and set out to replicate that using a number of different plant-based inputs. We utilized our production volumes & efficiencies to produce a line of products that presented a great value to consumers both in retail and within restaurant’s menus. We started with a plant-based burger that in short order became one of the most popular and best-selling burgers in the category. We have continued to develop the plant-based line, with the same value proposition, into other product applications like crumble, sausages & patties. In 2021, Cardinal created their plant-based brand called Betterplant™ as a banner for all of our plant-based product offerings. A brand simple in name and promise to the consumer. A better line of plant-based products that provides a substitute to meat-based proteins, without sacrificing on price, texture, or taste.
