La Vie launches tofu lines as it looks to tackle chicken

La Vie has launched Tofu Pan Fry Teriyaki and Tofu Nuggets as the French brand looks to challenge chicken.

The teriyaki line (rsp: £3.70/240g) has been made with pre-diced tofu cubes and a “sachet of velvety, sweet and salty teriyaki sauce”, while the nuggets (rsp: £3.90/180g) have been coated in an “extra crispy cornflake crumb for maximum crunch”.

Sitting under the banner “tofu that thinks it’s chicken”, they are also high in protein, with the teriyaki SKU and nuggets delivering 17g and 13g of protein per 100g, respectively.

They can also be prepared in seven minutes – making them “perfect for a quick work-from-home lunch or easy family dinner”.

In targeting chicken, La Vie said it was looking to “appeal beyond the tofu faithful” by creating SKUs that could “fit seamlessly into the meals and occasions people already know and love”.

It marks a departure for the brand, which built its reputation around reimagining pork products – including plant-based salami sticks, ham, bacon and lardons.

“We want to challenge what people think tofu can be,” said La Vie co-founder Nicolas Schweitzer. “Rather than asking consumers to completely change the way they eat, we’ve taken familiar chicken occasions and made them easy to recreate with tofu.”

“With ‘Tofu that thinks it’s chicken’ as our new tagline, we’re making it easier for flexitarians to give tofu a go – without giving up the meals they already love,” he added.

Each pack will also contain a “flat-pack cardboard animal toy”, called “lil buddies”, with six different designs – including a pig, cow and chicken – to collect and build.

The brand will be partnering with influencers and creators to help consumers “discover just how easy it is to cook with the new range and inspiring new ways to use both products”.

“We’ve spent years making plant-based food more fun, and this launch is about removing the barriers that can make tofu feel like hard work,” Schweitzer said.

La Vie Tofu Pan Fry Teriyaki and La Vie Tofu Nuggets launched into Tesco and Ocado from on 23 September.