Leading Healthy Rice Bowl Chain Celebrates Success of Popular Meat Alternative
WaBa Grill, one of the nation’s leading healthy rice bowl chains, recently celebrated the one-year anniversary of its innovative plant-based meat alternative, WaBa Grill’s Plantspired Steak. The Plantspired Steak, which launched in August 2021 in collaboration with the nation’s #1 tofu brand, Nasoya Foods USA, is a Korean-inspired alternative to steak that has been a popular choice amongst WaBa Grill customers since its launch. WaBa’s Plantspired Steak joins organic tofu to round out the brand’s meatless protein offerings that accommodate a growing number of consumers seeking plant-based options. Even with the ever-growing market demand, in only its first year on the menu, Plantspired Steak sales have exceeded the brand’s initial expectations with more than 304,200 Plantspired entrees sold. Significantly outpacing early projections, WaBa’s Plantspired Steak product mix out-sold its traditional tofu entrees nearly two-to-one, and accounts for close to 25 percent of plant-based and seafood sales, solidifying the new protein as a fan-favorite.
The impressive sales are a testament to WaBa Grill’s dedication to quality protein choices, with the brand aiming to match the caliber of its classic ribeye steak with a plant-based analog. During the initial research and development phase, WaBa Grill found that while several plant-based beef options were available, the market was largely saturated with plant-based ground beef or patties, which were not comparable to WaBa’s beloved sliced ribeye. The distinguishable characteristic of the Plantspired Steak is that it truly resembles slices of Korean-inspired Bulgogi steak, providing the appearance, taste, and mouthfeel of WaBa Grill’s steak. Marinating the plant-based steak in WaBa Grill’s proprietary-recipe marinade further positions the product as a crave-able savory menu item.
“As a team, we are incredibly proud of our Plantspired Steak. The response we’ve gotten from customers validates that our plant-based protein option is on par with the quality protein options, including ribeye steak and wild-caught salmon, that guests have come to expect from WaBa Grill,” said Vivian Mendoza, WaBa Grill’s Director of Marketing. “The feedback we’ve received from customers truly speaks for itself, with guests sharing that they prefer the Plantspired Steak to traditional beef. Some guests even return to the front counter to double check that they weren’t accidentally given our ribeye steak. It’s been amazing to see more and more people, especially those opting for more meatless variety and don’t typically follow a vegan or vegetarian diet, choosing plant-based options. We’ve been overwhelmed by the positive response.”
Across the board, WaBa Grill has seen its Plantspired Steak dominate the brand’s plant-based sales, with the Plantspired Steak Veggie Bowl, Plantspired Steak Bowl, Plantspired Steak Plate, and Signature House Salad with Plantspired Steak proving to be the most popular. Since the introduction of Plantspired Steak, WaBa Grill truly has been able to accommodate all diets from vegan to Keto to Paleo, with the brand’s famous rice bowls, plates, and salads made with fresh vegetables, healthy grains, and high-quality proteins including fresh, never frozen chicken, marinated ribeye steak, wild-caught salmon, jumbo shrimp, plant-based steak, and organic tofu, all prepared to order on an open-fire grill and customized with a variety of flavorful sauces including the fan favorite WaBa Sauce.
WaBa Grill was founded in 2006 on the principle that healthy food made with quality ingredients should be accessible to all. With a goal of serving the best possible food on the go, WaBa’s famous rice bowls, plates and salads are made with fresh vegetables, healthy grains and high-quality proteins including fresh, never frozen chicken, marinated ribeye steak, wild-caught salmon, jumbo shrimp, plant-based steak, and organic tofu, all prepared to order on an open-fire grill and customized with a variety of flavorful sauces including the fan favorite WaBa Sauce. No microwaves, no frying, no artificial additives… ever. Learn more at www.WaBaGrill.com.
The nearly 200-unit brand is primed to continue expansion having identified key markets throughout the western U.S. and is seeking franchise partners interested in expanding their portfolios with an established healthy fast casual brand on the rise. For more details about partnering with WaBa Grill, visit www.wabagrill.com/franchise.
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