The Belgian start-up Flexitarian Bastards introduced, during an official press conference on June 5, their first vegetarian ‘frikandel’ (a traditional Dutch minced meat sausage snack), the ‘Vega Frick’. It is a vegetarian version of the frikandel, made from soya and plant fibres. The Vega Fricks are packed in a solid board packaging, made by Solidus Solutions.
Good news to all vegetarians and flexitarians out there! They will soon have an extra option to choose from, next to the currently available vegetarian snacks such as a cheese croquette. Inventors Steve Bonnyns and the brothers Erik and Luc Carmans are adding an 100% vegetarian sausage to the collection. The Vega Frick will barely taste differently than a traditional frikandel, the only difference is that the Vega Frick is lower calories. While an average frikandel contains 224 kcal, one Vega Frick barely contains 74 kcal and has 97% less fat and 0% cholesterol.
According to Erik Carmans, ‘Flexitarianism’ (vegetarians who sometimes eat meat and fish) is not just a hype but rather an irreversible trend. Today’s consumers are more conscious in choosing alternative products that are vegetarian or healthier without making concessions regarding flavours or textures.
Why Solidus Solutions?
The collaboration between Flexitarian Bastards and Solidus Solutions is not a coincidence: Solidus Solutions and parent company Carmans E&L NV, a meat processing company, have been partnering for many years already.
The Vega Fricks are packed in a brown 6-point box with the Flexitarian Bastards logo on top of the box. The brown colour of the solid board gives a natural and ecological look that matches with the logo that is compiled of environmentally-conscious icons. Furthermore, solid board of Solidus Solutions is 100% recyclable and the construction of the box is easy to use.
Solidus Solutions opted for a PE layer on the inner side of the box, since the Vega Fricks are directly stored in deep freeze where moisture can form. It is hence extremely important that the boxes can tolerate damp conditions, solid board is therefore an excellent choice.
The responses to the packaging during the press conference were as positive as the results from the blind tasting of the Vega Frick. Are you also excited for this 100% vegetarian Frikandel and do you want to know where to get it? Then make sure you keep an eye on the Facebook and Instagram account (@flexitarianbastards) of Flexitarian Bastards! Visit www.flexitarianbastards.com for more information.
