Rutter's Menu to Feature New Plant-Based Offerings

YORK, Pa. — Rutter's will enhance its foodservice menu this month with new plant-based items.

It will be the first convenience store chain to offer products from JUST and Dr. Praeger's with the launch of their plant-based egg patties and burgers, respectively, the company said. The new products will be available at all Rutter's restaurant locations.

"With the flexitarian consumer growing at a rapid rate, Rutter's believes it's the perfect time to release a plant-based portfolio," said Director of Foodservice Ryan Krebs. "Providing our customers with the highest quality, healthier alternative options, while satisfying the ever-growing demand for plant-based proteins, is key to our food service strategy."

The JUST Egg patty has more protein per serving than a conventional chicken egg; is free of cholesterol, saturated fat and artificial flavoring; and requires less water and emits fewer carbon emissions.

"We're thrilled that Rutter's is the first convenience store chain in the country to put the award-winning JUST Egg on the menu, continuing their reputation as a leader in foodservice innovation," said Josh Tetrick, co-founder and CEO of JUST. "By offering delicious, healthier and more sustainable products like JUST Egg, Rutter's is helping redefine the c-store experience for a new generation of customers. The team at JUST is proud to partner with them on this pairing — one that is better for our bodies and better for our planet."

Additionally, Dr. Praeger's The Perfect Burger is made with clean, vegetable-forward ingredients and infused with four kinds of vegetables sweet potato, butternut squash, beet and carrot. It has 15 percent less sodium and 22 percent less fat per serving than the leading meat-y veggie burger and is soy free, the company said.

"The meat-alternative burger market lacks a tasty, vegan burger that contains a short and simple ingredient list," said Larry Praeger of Dr. Praeger's. "The Perfect Burger provides all the flavor you want from a traditional beef burger, but with clean plant-based protein and ingredients you can taste with each flavorful bite."

Both clean label products will be available via the hot grab-and-go and restaurant touchscreen kiosks. They will be labeled as plant-based items for customer awareness and can be included in a wide variety of items, including breakfast sandwiches, quesadillas and burritos, breakfast bowls and baskets, pizzas and build-your-own burgers.

The c-store retailer noted that plant-based products are projected to exceed more than $5 billion in global sales by 2020 and that consumers care about their benefits, which include reducing greenhouse emissions and encouraging responsible use of land, water and fertilizer.

York-based Rutter's is a privately-held chain of 75 convenience stores in Pennsylvania, Maryland and West Virginia.