IKEA introduces a ’Plant ball’ for meat lovers

Corporate NewsSustainabilitySeptember 6, 2021Last edited: October 5, 2021

With only 4% of the climate footprint of the meatball, the plant ball is a more sustainable option without compromising on taste and texture.

[Seoul – September 6] Home furnishing retailer IKEA Korea introduces the ‘plant ball’, made from vegetable proteins by recreating the iconic IKEA meatball without the meat.

The IKEA ‘plant ball’ is a sustainable alternative to the traditional IKEA meatballs, which have been loved since their launch and generate over 1 billion global sales annually. The plant ball was developed as part of IKEA's efforts to reduce its environmental impact and to inspire the many to choose a more sustainable eating and lifestyle habits at an affordable price.

With the new plant ball, IKEA can now offer meat lovers a more sustainable alternative – without compromising on the IKEA meatball experience that is loved by the many. The new plant ball is made with yellow pea protein, oats, potatoes, onion, and apple. In addition, mushrooms, tomatoes, and baked vegetable powders were added for flavor. By using only plant based ingredients, the climate footprint generated throughout the entire supply chain, from product production to distribution, is only 4% of the classic IKEA meatball.

Starting with the introduction of the plant ball, IKEA Korea also plans to launch a plant based ‘Veggie Hotdog’ in September. As part of its efforts to actively respond to climate change and create a more sustainable future, IKEA’s goal is that 20% of the quantity of food products sold by IKEA will be plant based products by the end of FY22.

The plant ball will be released on September 6th at all IKEA Korea stores (Gwangmyeong, Goyang, Giheung, and DongBusan). In the IKEA restaurants the plant ball will be served with mashed potatoes, green peas, lingonberries, and gravy sauce, in the same way as the traditional dish and at the same low IKEA Family price, KRW 4,900. Customers can also buy a bag of frozen plant balls(500g) from the Swedish Food Market located in IKEA Korea stores at KRW 7,900.

“IKEA plant ball is a great alternative for people who love meat, but want to reduce their meat consumption for the environment,” stated Dimitri Hirsch, Country Food Manager at IKEA Korea. “We want to inspire healthier and more sustainable eating and lifestyle habits to the many people for a positive impact on the environment.”

Climate Footprint

Climate Footprint refers to the total amount of the full range of gases produced to support human activity. It is a more comprehensive measure of anthropogenic impact upon the climate than a carbon footprint.