International food and beverage giant Nestlé on Thursday launched a plant-based alternative to tuna, its first move into the growing market for plant-based seafood alternatives. Additional seafood products are in the pipeline, the company said.

The product will be first launched under the Garden Gourmet brand in Switzerland. The launch will feature both chilled product, which is available in a glass jar, as well as plant-based tuna sandwiches in select stores. Further rollout plans were not announced.

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Made from a combination of six plant-based ingredients, it is rich in pea protein, an environmentally friendly source of plant-based protein, the company said. It contains essential amino acids and is free of artificial colors or preservatives.

"Sustainably produced plant-based seafood alternatives can help to reduce overfishing and to protect the biodiversity of our oceans," said Stefan Palzer, chief technology officer at Nestlé. "We are excited to launch this great product, and other plant-based fish and shellfish alternatives are already under development."

Nestlé developed the tuna alternative in nine months. The company already offers a variety of plant-based products, including alternatives to burgers, mince, meatballs, sausages, cold cuts, chicken nuggets, and chicken fillets.

The products are developed by Nestlé Research in Switzerland and the dedicated R&D Centers for food in Germany and the United States.

The product will be first launched under the Garden Gourmet brand in Switzerland. The launch will feature both the chilled product, which is available in a glass jar, as well as plant-based tuna sandwiches in select stores. Further rollout plans will be announced in due time.

More heavy hitters in the space

In July, US agribusiness giant Cargill launched a new plant-based protein consumer brand in China. The company says the new products will help meet the demand for nutritious, great-tasting alternative protein options.

The brand, known as PlantEver, is offering two plant-based products: a chicken-alternative nugget and beef-alternative patty. Both the chicken-alternative nugget and plant-based patty are already on the market.

Cargill will also be introducing two additional co-branded products with Lawson, a Japan-based convenience store chain. One of those products is a plant-based scallop alternative.