Juicy Marbles Secures Major German Foodservice Listing for (Revamped) Vegan Ribs with Bones – vegconomist
Markus Thaller Neue Vege Unternhemensberatung (MTNV) this week announces it has secured a major foodservice listing for its well-known partner Juicy Marbles in the German market. MTNV is a well-known consultancy for go-to-market in German-speaking countries, dedicated to bringing high-quality and sustainable alternative products to markets with a strong focus on the foodservice industry.
Juicy Marbles, the cult brand known for creating the world’s first marbled plant-based steak and a formidable 750g tenderloin, now brings its rack of plant-based ribs with bones to Germany, arguably the most thriving vegan market in Europe.
“We are aware that making bones out of plants may seem irrational, but some of the best things about our food culture are completely irrational”
Following a year of selling limited drops of the ribs online and gathering feedback, Juicy Marbles is releasing a retail-ready version of its plant-based ribs. The ribs feature a similar texture to their whole-cut products, but this time with a new recipe under the codename “Marble 3.0,” which promises one of the cleanest labels in the plant-based space.
Key features of the new recipe include:
- 32g of protein/serving (complete amino acid profile)
- No thickeners & binders (methylcellulose and carrageenan)
- Essential micronutrients: iron, zinc, selenium, B vitamins, vitamin b12
- No preservatives & additives
- 100% non-GMO ingredients
- Nutri score: A
Co-founder & Chief Brand Officer Vladimir Mićković shares: “For years, we’ve gathered feedback from thousands of curious eaters. Since more than half of our customers aren’t vegan, the research showed us a stupidly simple truth about food: we all want our food to be tasty, but we want it to be nutritionally sensible as well. We want to eat foods that do our bodies good, and that’s what food companies should provide.
“We are aware that making bones out of plants may seem irrational, but some of the best things about our food culture are completely irrational.
“People want products with ingredients they understand. A lot of people are adding plant-based meats to their “protein portfolio,” and we want them to rest assured that they’re not eating something that’s just mimicking the sensory aspects of meat, but also provides the essential micronutrients our bodies need to function. The food equivalent of “style and substance.”
But what’s the point of vegan ribs?
The ribs with bones sparked heated online debate since Juicy Marbles first teased the product on Instagram, with many vegans and non-vegans arguing, why even imitate bones in a completely vegan product?
For the bones, the company utilises an excess sidestream of protein from producing the “meat” part of Baby Ribs and other products. Protein that is perfectly fine and edible and might otherwise end up as waste. The bones are 100% compostable and even edible. You can bake, fry, or air-fry the bones into puffed, crispy snacks that sport as much protein as beef jerky or cook them to make stock.
Mićković continues, “Baby Ribs” are meant to be a fun product that you eat with your hands and, while doing that, obtain an ungodly amount of protein and then some. The experience of meat doesn’t end with flavor. There is a culture of celebration, sharing, and belonging around meat—part of a food culture thousands of years in the making. We wanted Baby Ribs to continue that tradition.”
Previous success to be replicated in Germany
The brand’s focus on exceptional flavor profiles has earned it a loyal following in other markets such as the UK, and MTNV is confident that this success will be replicated in Germany.
“We are incredibly excited to bring Juicy Marbles’ exceptional baby back ribs to the German market,” said Markus Thaller, Owner of MTNV. “Germany’s food scene is dynamic and diverse, looking for alternative and sustainable products and we are confident that Juicy Marbles’ unique offerings will resonate well with foodservice professionals. This expansion is a testament to our dedication to delivering top-notch alternative and sustainable products.”
The rest of the Juicy Marbles portfolio will also graduate to the “Marble 3.0” recipe by the end of the year.
