Colruyt Group launches plant-enriched meat range to support protein shift

Colruyt Group has introduced a new range of plant-enriched meat products at its Colruyt Lowest Prices and Okay stores in Belgium. The launch is designed to help customers reduce their meat intake without sacrificing taste or nutrition, while advancing the company’s sustainability commitments.

As of 11 September, shoppers can find plant-enriched minced meat at the butcher’s counter, with hamburgers and sausages to follow in October. The new products combine conventional meat with plant-based ingredients such as fava beans, mushrooms, seaweed, and pumpkin.

The first product to hit shelves is a minced meat mix containing 60% beef and 40% fava bean flour. Fava beans are considered a sustainable protein source, rich in nutrients and a strong alternative to soy. By blending them with beef, Colruyt has reduced the proportion of animal protein while boosting fiber content and lowering saturated fat. The company says the mix retains the familiar taste, texture, and versatility of traditional minced beef.

Other products in the pipeline include sausages made from a beef and pork blend with 25% of the meat replaced by mushrooms and seaweed, and hamburgers containing 25% pumpkin alongside the beef and pork base. According to Colruyt, these additions reduce the overall animal protein content while contributing to a rich, juicy flavor profile.

“We already launched three types of enriched sausages containing 38% vegetables for the BBQ season,” said Pascal Dekelver, Meat Division Manager at Colruyt Lowest Prices. “Today we are starting with a new range of plant-enriched meat for customers who consciously want to reduce their meat consumption. The range was developed and produced internally thanks to collaboration between our different departments. We are therefore very proud that with this tasty range of combined proteins we can help our customers more easily move towards a more sustainable consumption pattern.”

The launch reflects wider food trends, with flexitarians and health-conscious shoppers increasingly seeking products that strike a balance between traditional meat and plant-based alternatives. For some consumers, fully vegetarian or vegan products still feel too far removed from the taste and experience of conventional meat. Colruyt hopes that hybrid products will offer a practical middle ground.

Plant-enriched meat, the company argues, allows customers to make more mindful choices without compromising on flavor or quality. By integrating vegetables, pulses, and other plant proteins into familiar products, Colruyt aims to ease the transition toward diets with a lower environmental impact.

Availability is also a central part of the strategy. The products will be sold at the butcher’s counter of Colruyt Lowest Prices and Okay stores, emphasizing accessibility and affordability. “The plant-enriched minced meat will be available from 11 September at the lowest price,” the company confirmed. “The enriched sausages and hamburgers will follow from 1 October at Colruyt Lowest Prices.”

The initiative forms part of Colruyt Group’s broader sustainability agenda. Under its Green Deal commitment, the company has pledged to shift the balance of its protein offerings to 60% plant-based and 40% animal-based by 2028. By introducing hybrid meat products, it seeks to encourage gradual changes in customer behavior and reduce the ecological footprint of food production.

“Our goal is to offer 60% proteins from plant sources and 40% from animal sources by 2028,” Dekelver added. “With this we want to contribute to the protein shift and to Colruyt Group’s Green Deal commitment. We want to reduce the ecological footprint of food by encouraging our customers to gradually consume fewer animal proteins and more often opt for plant-based alternatives, the production of which has a lower environmental impact.”

Colruyt has positioned itself as a leader in promoting sustainable consumption in Belgium. Beyond product innovation, the group has invested in initiatives to support local farmers, reduce food waste, and improve the environmental performance of its supply chains. The plant-enriched meat line is intended as another practical step in helping consumers align their shopping choices with healthier and more sustainable lifestyles.

For Colruyt, the strategy is as much about responding to evolving consumer preferences as it is about meeting sustainability goals. Surveys in Belgium and across Europe consistently show rising interest in diets with less animal protein, whether for health, environmental, or ethical reasons. Hybrid products, which maintain the taste and familiarity of meat while incorporating plant proteins, are emerging as a promising way to bridge the gap.

By introducing a dedicated range of these products across its stores, Colruyt hopes to normalize plant-enriched options and make them a standard part of weekly shopping baskets. With familiar formats such as minced meat, sausages, and hamburgers, the retailer is betting that customers will find it easier to make small adjustments that add up to meaningful change.