Hormel Ingredient Solutions, an industry leader in protein-based ingredients for manufacturers of prepared foods, is launching a new line of plant-based ingredient solutions to help food manufacturers meet increasing demand for plant-based foods.

The company cited research suggesting that a growing number of consumers consider themselves flexitarians or are more open to plant-based products.

Powered by pea protein, the new plant-based offerings include fully cooked crumbles and uncooked ground products, with the crumbles available in options ranging from traditional and Italian to breakfast and Chorizo-style flavors.

“These new products are designed to help food manufacturers incorporate more plant-based foods into their offerings for the growing number of consumers interested in adding these items to their diets,” said Paul Sheehan, director of sales for Hormel Ingredient Solutions.

Hormel Foods said it designed the versatile, plant-based options in convenient forms and flavors in order to make them easily adaptable to any application or meal day-part as an additional source of protein or as a substitution for other kinds.

“The bottom line is that people want to add more plants to their diet, but they also want them to taste great,” Sheehan said. “These new items allow food manufacturers to explore how easy it is to add the power of plant-based ingredients to a variety of applications.”

Hormel Foods also recently introduced a new Skippy peanut butter with plant-based protein. The product offers an additional 3 g of plant-based protein per serving, for a total of 10 g of plant-based protein per serving. Although bolstered by additional plant-based protein, the company said the product is as flavorful and spreadable as conventional peanut butter.