Retailers among a number of major food businesses to push bean sales, with pulses gaining traction as healthy and affordable sources of protein and fibre
Food industry leaders including Aldi, Iceland and Brakes have pledged action to increase their bean sales as part of the Bang in Some Beans campaign, which aims to double UK bean consumption by 2028.
Led by The Food Foundation and Veg Power, and funded by The National Lottery Community Fund, Bang in Some Beans aims to promote beans to the nation as “nutritional powerhouses that are a delicious source of protein, fibre and micronutrients”.
Liz Fox, sustainability director at Aldi UK, said: “At Aldi, we’re committed to providing healthier food choices at an affordable price. By joining the Food Foundation’s Keen Bean commitment, we’re helping make it easier for all shoppers to build a balanced diet – because beans are versatile and an affordable way to get your five-a-day.”
The new pledgers have been announced in a new playbook for retailers and brands called ‘Unlocking Commercial Growth for Beans’. It has been published to highlight untapped commercial opportunity for beans.
Drawing on examples from across the sector, the playbook argues that while the bean category is growing, significant opportunities remain untapped across retail, hospitality and foodservice. It shows how businesses can increase sales by making beans more visible, accessible and appealing to consumers.
The ‘Keen Bean Pledgers’ have committed to delivering on the following targets for bean procurement and sales by 2028:
- Aldi: increase volume sales for all bean products (including composites) by 15 per cent
- Iceland: increase volume sales for all bean products (including composites)
- Brakes: increase volume sales of fresh and ambient beans
- Subway: increase volume sales for all beans by 20 per cent
- Almanhall: increase volume sales for all bean products (including composites) by 30 per cent
- Elior: increase the proportion of beans procured by 20 per cent
- Higgidy: increase volume sales for beans by 15 per cent
- National Trust for Scotland: increase the proportion of beans procured by 15 per cent
- Vegetarian Express: increase volume sales for all beans by 25 per cent
They join a roster of food industry giants who have already signed up, including Lidl GB, Sainsbury’s, M&S and Ocado, Bidfood, ISS, Waitrose, Harvester, BaxterStorey, Compass Group UK&I, and Wahaca, bringing the total number of businesses involved to 41.
Only four per cent of UK adults are eating the amount of fibre needed to keep them healthy, and beans are currently under consumed in the UK, with the average person eating just one portion of beans a week, despite their increasingly lauded health benefits.
This seems set to change, however, as food businesses come together on commitments to make beans more available and appealing to their customers.
In addition, a number of businesses have promised to promote beans to their customers. Asda, Food Standards Scotland, Aramark, Little Lunches, Plate Up, Booths, Phat Pasty and Wildly Tasty join those already committed to ramping up their bean promotion, with Samworth Bros, La Bonte Catering, Honest Bean Co, Bird’s Eye, Co-op and Gosh! also signed up.
News of the Keen Bean Pledgers follows with the launch of the new Bang In Some Beans podcast mini-series, from the award-winning Food Foundation podcast.
This seven-part series is hosted by best-selling food writer and chef Melissa Hemsley and sheds light on the many ways that beans, pulses and lentils are good for health and the planet, as well as being good news for stretched family budgets.
Good Food is joining the campaign as a major media partner and will be promoting beans across all their content and platforms including on podcasts, websites and in magazines. They will also be hosting bean sessions at the Summer and Winter Good Food Live events.
