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Plant-based meat alternative brand Juicy Marbles has launched Umami Burger in the UK, a new high-protein patty made with a ‘whole-food-forward’ ingredients list.

The brand describes its latest offering as the ‘ultimate veggie patty,’ aiming to provide the same versatility, appealing texture and nutrition as Juicy Marbles’ more meat-like whole cut range.

It is made with ‘wholesome’ ingredients including quinoa, flax, miso, fermented Koji barley and seitan. A single 100g patty delivers 22g of plant protein, 5g of fat and 179 kcal.

Designed for convenience and flexibility, the patty can be fried in five minutes, suitable for serving as a traditional burger as well as slicing into sandwiches, salads, wraps and bowls.

According to Juicy Marbles, the product is rich in umami flavour but not overpowering and offers a ‘naturally tender yet springy’ bite. The team’s goal was to develop a product that ‘hit the sweet spot between classic veggie burgers and hyper-realistic cuts’.

Luka Sinček, co-founder of Juicy Marbles, commented: “The problem comes when classic options like tofu, tempeh and bean burgers require a lot of prep to taste good or miss the mark on texture”.

“What’s great about Umami Burger is it delivers a satisfying bite, lends itself to a huge variety of dishes with basically no prep, and sports a nutrient profile you can feel good about eating every day.”

The plant-based meat alternatives industry has seen a surge in veg-forward innovation in the last year, with other ‘hyper-realistic’ alt-meat brands such as This, Beyond Meat and Moving Mountains diversifying their portfolios in 2025 to include more whole food-based and cleaner label options. This reflects the growing awareness of ultra-processed foods and consumer preferences for more ‘natural’ options.

Despite this, appetite for the ‘ultra-meaty’ versions remains. Juicy Marbles’ Thick-Cut Filet steak alternative product exceeded sales expectations, selling out 86% of initial stock at Waitrose within four days of its launch in 2023 and later becoming Tesco’s fastest-selling plant-based meat in Tesco’s history.

Launched just in time for Veganuary, Umami Burger – priced at £4.95 per two-pack of patties – can now be found in 225 Tesco stores across the UK, as well as via Tesco’s website.