Maple Leaf Foods reviving plant-based brand Yves Veggie Cuisine
Plant-based meat alternative brand Yves Veggie Cuisine is making a comeback.
Maple Leaf Foods Inc. says it's reviving five Yves products, including veggie deli sliced products and original and Mexican veggie ground round.
Maple Leaf spokesperson Victoria Berry says the relaunch reflects the company's confidence in the plant-based category.
She says the launch date has not been set yet, but expects to see the products in stores this summer.
Maple Leaf did not respond to a question about when the sale happened but Canadian Intellectual Property Office documents show some Yves trademarks were transferred to Maple Leaf in December and January. Maple Leaf filed for more in February.
Yves Veggie Cuisine, which was previously owned by Hain Celestial Group, was shuttered last September after a 40-year run, as demand for meat substitutes slowed.
Jo-Ann McArthur, president of Nourish Food Marketing, said Maple Leaf is hoping to capture the nostalgia of the brand.
"Yves has a lot of brand awareness," she said. "Maybe, that's what they're buying."
READ: Four things to know about nostalgia
A well-known household brand, Yves offered a range of plant-based alternatives meant to imitate ham, turkey and burger patties, among other items.
She said Yves also makes a good addition to Maple Leaf's existing plant-based portfolio, which includes LightLife and Field Roast.
"Consumers are looking for more plant-based options," McArthur said.
However, she said it will be interesting to see how Yves fares in a market where consumers are increasingly looking for simpler and natural ingredients, such as tempeh—and moving away from ultra-processed food.
A 2024 report by Circana showed sales of meat alternatives peaked in the U.S. at $1.3 billion in 2020 and have since declined.
