New federal dietary guidelines recommending less meat and the ongoing consumer quest for healthy meal options are driving retail sales of alternative protein sources. Apio Inc. is at the forefront of the plant-based protein movement with three new single-serve Plant-Powered Protein Salad Kits — BBQ Ranch, Super Caesar and Yogurt Curry — available in June from Eat Smart. Each single-serve salad kit is deliciously satisfying with at least 13 grams of protein per serving — equivalent to salads with meat — and 40 percent or more of the recommended daily value of fiber.

“Dieticians and chefs are leading the trend toward additive nutrition — the practice of powering up meals with more nutritious choices,” Anne Byerly, Apio’s vice president of marketing, said in a press release. “Eat Smart’s new Plant-Powered Protein salad kits are the perfect solution for consumers looking for innovative, convenient and healthy eating options that are easy to integrate into their busy lives.”

Single-serve, ready-to-eat salads kit sales are up 22 percent over a year ago, according to Nielsen FreshFacts 52 weeks ending February 2015. Eat Smart’s Plant-Powered Protein single serve salad kits are among the first to offer a range of highly nutritious and complex vegetable blends with delicious plant protein toppings. 

BBQ Ranch combines julienned cauliflower, red cabbage, savoy cabbage, kale and carrots, with chia seeds, roasted soy nuts, slivered almonds and crunchy freeze-dried corn topped with a tangy BBQ Ranch dressing. This vegetarian salad contains no preservatives and is gluten-free. 

The Super Caesar kit offers a non-traditional take on the No. 1 selling packaged salad kit flavor at retail, according to Nielsen. It blends nutritionally packed collard greens, Italian kale, red chard, broccoli stalk and savoy cabbage with chia seeds, sunflower seeds, dried roasted edamame, parmesan cheese and a classic Caesar dressing. 

The Yogurt Curry salad kit infuses a popular trend in ethnic inspired cuisine with the nutritional benefits of hearty vegetables and plant proteins. The kits features julienned cauliflower, kale, carrots, multicolor kale and green cabbage along with chia seeds, roasted chickpeas, slivered almonds, golden raisins, and a deliciously unique Yogurt Curry dressing.

The Plant-Powered Protein salad kits join Eat Smart’s successful line of chef-inspired Gourmet Vegetable Salad Kits, which offer sophisticated blends of superfoods.

The popular Sweet Kale Vegetable Salad Kit is Apio's best-selling kale salad kit in the country, according to Nielsen. The Wild Greens & Quinoa Vegetable Salad Kit and the Beets & Greens Vegetable Salad Kit round out this fastest-growing salad kit line, according to the same data.