By Mike Pomranz | FoodAndWine.Com
Troy Warren for CNT #Foodie
Like similar products on the market, Ikea’s plant-based mince can be used just like ground beef.
If anyone were to ask you what Ikea is, you’d likely just say it’s a furniture store. But as anyone who’s ever actually shopped there knows, when you set foot in Ikea, you never know what you’ll walk out with. (Swedish meatball scented candle, anyone?) And no, Ikea doesn’t have a full-blown grocery department like Walmart or Target, but the chain does offer an intriguing selection of food and drink in its Swedish Food Market, and recently, just like most stores, Ikea’s product range has grown to include more plant-based options.
Today, Ikea U.S. has announced their latest plant-based product and it’s called… well… Världsklok. (According to Google Translate, that’s Swedish for “World wise,” which, actually, is kind of fun.) The chain describes the new item — which is made from pea protein — as “a shapeable meat substitute that can be used to make burgers, ‘meatballs,’ ‘meat’ sauces and more.” A 1-lb., 10-oz. bag of Världsklok will set customers back $9.99.
Ikea points out that Världsklok plant-based mince joins a range of meat alternatives sold at Ikea that also includes items such as Huvudroll plant balls and Korvmoj veggie dogs, all part of the brand’s plan to “provide more climate friendly food alternatives.”
“At IKEA, we want to make healthier and more sustainable living easy and accessible,” Monica Van Fleet, Food Commercial Leader at IKEA U.S., stated. “The Ikea Världsklok Plant-Based Mince is great for tacos, tasty burger sliders or a Bolognese sauce.”
And beyond buying plant-based foods to take home and cook yourself, over the past few years, the chain has also increased the plant-based choices in Ikea Restaurants and Bistros. In 2020, that included adding plant-based meatballs, finally offering a plant-based meat-like alternative to their famous Swedish meatballs.
But how similar is Varldsklok plant-based mince to Ikea’s Huvudroll plant balls? Unlike the mince, Ikea describes the plant balls as being made with “pea protein, oats, potatoes, onion, and apple. So in theory, now customers have two options to enjoy vegetarian replacement versions of Ikea meatballs: You can either buy the premade meatballs or buy the mince and see if you can outdo Ikea by making them with your own recipe.
And if you already shop at Ikea, you’re no stranger to assembling stuff for yourself.
