Launched this month, a new range of 100-per-cent plant-based fresh cooking sauces from UK brand The Simple Root are set to shake up the category.

The Simple Root, a new range of 100-per-cent plant-based cooking sauces, launched onto the UK market on 1st April, in what is undeniably a long overdue shake-up of the traditional cooking sauce category. 

Championing humble root vegetables as their main ingredient, The Simple Root range has been developed in response to the growing demand for more plant-based meal solutions, helping consumers pack more vegetables into their diet without sacrificing convenience, taste or nutritional value.

“Fresh, plant-based and better-for-you”

“Cooking sauces are a very traditional category. They often contain high levels of sugar, salt and fat, and can sit in the cupboard for months,” pointed out Louise Wymer, the plant-based disruptor brand’s UK CEO. “Over the last 20 years, we’ve seen many categories move from jars, tins and packets to fresh – including soup, juices, and most recently chocolate. It’s now time for the cooking sauces category to be brought up to date, and made for how people want to eat now: fresh, plant-based and better-for-you.”

The first products from The Simple Root, to launch to market will be a range of fresh cooking sauces, including dairy-free Creamy Pesto Style Sauce (with over 70-per-cent less fat than the market leading pesto in the UK), and vegan-friendly Truffle & Ch**se Style Sauce. 

The Simple Root range will also expand over the next 12 months to include Plant-Based Dips, Cheeses and Desserts.

On-trend flavour SKUs that don’t sacrifice taste or health

The cooking sauce range launches with four on-trend flavour SKUs:

• Creamy Pesto Style Sauce 

• Spicy Satay Style Sauce

• Truffle & Ch**se Style Sauce 

• Creamy Simple White Sauce

Unlike traditional long life sauces, the range contains no added sugar, artificial flavours or preservatives, and the sauces are also dairy-free and gluten-free, offering a better-for-you cooking companion that doesn't sacrifice taste or health. 

The Simple Root provides a quick and easy plant-based route to some of the UK’s best loved dishes, opening the door to plant-based versions of staple recipes, from truffle mac n’ cheese and creamy pesto pasta, to satay curry, lasagne and more.

Bringing innovation to plant-based cooking

Bringing innovation to plant-based cooking, The Simple Root has been developed using a patented innovative technique that transforms British grown potatoes and other root vegetables into a naturally creamy alternative to dairy. Each sauce is made of at least 50 per cent root vegetables alongside other plant-based ingredients, herbs and spices, and contains less fat, sugar and salt versus market-leading sauces. 

Additionally, their root vegetable base makes The Simple Root a highly sustainable option thanks to their low water intake and reduced CO2 footprint. The Simple Root sauces are also less resource-intensive than other plant-based dairy alternatives, which heavily feature ingredients such as nuts or soy.

 

The Simple Root team brings over 20 years of experience in the development and marketing of food brands to the table, with the UK team led by CEO Louise Wymer, Head of Marketing Esther Sforza, (previously of Strong Roots) and a global team of industry veterans who will be launching the brand in the US.

Keeping it simple with a clean label approach

 

“There has been a lot of innovation in dairy alternatives, but many are using complicated technology and long ingredient lists, which aren’t great for our health or that of the planet,” observed Esther Sforza, Head of Marketing UK. “At The Simple Root, we realised that a healthier and more sustainable path to plant-based eating could be found in simple root vegetables. Using these we’ve been able to develop a range of sauces unlike anything else on the supermarket shelves, offering creamy tastes and textures without dairy or artificial additives.” 

 

The Simple Root is backed by Venture Management Specialists Pilot Lite Group and world leading FMCG player McCain Foods, which significantly reduces the risk normally associated with a start-up. This financial and commercial support means that the team can viably discuss larger-scale in-store marketing and POS activity for retailers to ramp up sales very early in the buying process. 

In April 2022 The Simple Root will launch into The Cress Co – one of the UK’s leading fine food wholesale foodservice suppliers. The Cress Co will be the brand’s first national foodservice partner, bringing The Simple Root to a range of independent retail customers including delis, cafés, farm shops, garden centres, hotels and more.

The Simple Root, is available from 1st April 2022 via national fine food wholesalers The Cress Co. The RRP for each sauce is £3.95.