Gardein facts for kids
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| Founded | 2003 |
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| Founder | Yves Potvin |
| Headquarters | , |
| Products | Animal meat-free foods |
| Owner | Conagra Brands Pinnacle Foods |
Gardein makes delicious foods that taste like meat but are actually made from plants! The name "Gardein" is a mix of the words "garden" and "protein". These plant-based foods are produced by a company called Conagra Brands.
Gardein was started in 2003 by Yves Potvin. He was the main leader of the company until 2016. In 2014, another company called Pinnacle Foods bought Gardein. Later, in 2018, Conagra Brands bought Pinnacle Foods, which included Gardein.
Gardein has factories in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada, and Hagerstown, Maryland, in the United States. All of Gardein's products are vegan, meaning they don't use any animal products. The company has a special way of making its plant-based foods. Since 2014, Gardein has also made products that are gluten free.
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Contents
Gardein's Story
Gardein, originally called Garden Protein International, was founded by a former chef named Yves Potvin in 2003. The company began selling its frozen plant-based products in stores in 2009.
By 2007, Garden Protein had 85 employees and made about $50 million in sales each year. In 2014, their sales grew to almost $100 million in stores. By 2015, Gardein had more than 250 employees. Their products were sold in over 22,000 stores across North America.
Gardein products were first used in the United Kingdom in 2008. They were an ingredient in some frozen meals made by a company called Grassington.
Getting the Word Out
Gardein products have been shown on The Oprah Winfrey Show several times. Chef Tal Ronnen, who worked with Gardein, helped share their products with many people.
In 2013, Gardein worked with the Los Angeles City Council to celebrate Meatless Monday. This event encourages people to eat plant-based meals one day a week.
Awards and Recognition
Gardein has won many awards for its tasty plant-based foods.
In 2007, the animal rights group PETA gave Gardein their Company of the Year Award. This was for their great meat substitute products.
Since 2010, Gardein has won four Canadian Grand Prix New Product awards. These awards recognize new and exciting food products in Canada. Gardein also won a New Product award from Veg News Magazine three years in a row, from 2010 to 2012.
Gardein's Seven Grain Crispy Tenders won Shape magazine's Best Snack award in 2010. In 2011, Gardein won the Good Food Award from Natural Health Magazine.
In 2014, Gardein received several more awards:
- PETA's Product of the Year
- The Libby Award from PETA's 'Best Seasonal Vegan Food'
- The 'Foodie Award' from the Vegetarian Times
- The National Restaurant Association's Food and Beverage Innovations (FABI) Awards for their Fishless Fillets
Also in 2014, Gardein received the Leadership in Sustainability award at the British Columbia Export Awards. Yves Potvin, Gardein's founder, also received the Innovative Business Award from Mercy for Animals.
Better Homes and Gardens magazine gave Gardein the Best New Product award in the Meatless Alternative category for their Crispy Chick'n Sliders in 2014. They won 'Best New Product' again in 2015.
In 2015, Gardein's Gluten-Free Beefless Ground was a finalist for Best Meat Replacement in Delicious Living Magazine's third annual Best Bite Awards. In the same year, they won the Progressive Grocer Category Advisor Award for their Fishless Fillets in the Frozen Meatless Foods category.
Gardein in Restaurants
While Gardein products are mostly sold frozen in grocery stores, you can also find them on restaurant menus!
- Many of the faux meat options at Veggie Grill restaurants are made using Gardein products.
- In 2017, the hamburger chain Johnny Rockets added the Gardein black bean patty to its menu.
- In August 2019, the New Zealand burger chain BurgerFuel added Gardein Chick’n patties to its menu.
- Since 2011, the Yard House restaurant chain has offered several Gardein products on its menu.
See also
In Spanish: Gardein para niños
