Ikea set to launch ‘plant-based’ hotdogs, ‘meatballs’ and ice cream within months

No visit to Ikea is complete without a cheeky $1 hotdog or some Swedish meatballs. But a huge menu shake-up is coming within months.

They were launched in Europe last year to much fanfare — and now, Ikea finally plans to bring vegan hotdogs Down Under.

At a Future of Food panel event today, Ikea Australia’s Head of Food, Ivana Frost, revealed the flatpack giant would soon be releasing a range of new plant-based products, including vegie hotdogs and vegetable-based soft serve ice creams.

At the moment, Ikea also offers vegetarian versions of its famous meatballs, but in the coming months a new alternative, made from plant-based protein, will also be added, along with a plant-based children’s menu.

In fact, Ikea aims to eventually have the majority of its items made from plant-based products, and to increase the quantity of those items by 20 per cent by the end of the 2022 financial year.

Aussie customers have asked for more vegie-friendly options. Picture: Supplied

Ms Frost told news.com.au the company had always been a leader when it came to sustainability and that the new menu also reflected the global trend towards vegetarianism and veganism.

She said at least some of the new menu items could be launched Down Under as soon as January.

“There’s an obvious trend of moving towards more plant-based and healthier food options, especially in Europe,” she said.

“We have found our customers asking for more plant-based ingredients on the menu and for more variety here in Australia — not to the same extent as our European partners, but we’ve definitely seen (that demand increase).”

Ikea’s Tempe branch in Sydney’s inner west, for example, has already introduced a popular vegie buffet which Ms Frost said brought in “hundreds” of people.

Ikea is bringing its vegan hotdog Down Under. Picture: iStock

“We’ve been trialling different things and listening to our customers’ thoughts, and they’re loving it,” she said.

While the new menu items are still being tested, Ms Frost said the goal was for them to taste similar to their traditional meat counterparts.

The company also aims to keep the new vegie options at the same price point as the meat versions.

Ms Frost said Ikea was also aiming to reduce its overall food packaging and waste.

It has already ditched plastic straws in its restaurants, and is turning towards “plant-based, renewable and recyclable” packaging where possible.

She said the initiatives were all part of a Swedish philosophy known as “lagom” — which translates to “just right”, and which implies balance, moderation and contentment.

Vegetarianism and veganism have been on the rise across the globe in recent years, and even Australia, a country famed for its love of meat, is embracing the movement.

By 2020, market research firm Euromonitor International estimates that our pre-packaged vegan food industry will be worth a whopping $215 million.

And it’s not a flash-in-the-pan trend either — The Food Revolution Network claims that the number of vegan food items on the Australian market soared by 92 per cent between 2014 and 2016, and that we are now the third fastest growing vegan market on the planet.

Market researcher company IBISWorld has also confirmed that Aussie sales of vegan food products have exploded over the past five years, with leading food manufacturers and takeaway chains launching more and more products to meet vegan demand.

“The quality of these products is also increasing at a rapid pace, with plant-based alternatives to meat and dairy foods continuously being launched,” IBISWorld senior industry analyst James Caldwell said in a release.

“Unilever recently launched a plant-based alternative to its Magnum ice cream products, and popular food chains Hungry Jacks, Schnitz and Grill’d have all recently added plant-based options to their menus, in an attempt to take advantage of rising demand.”

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