Wheat meat

A rising star in the plant-based foods movement is seitan, also known as vital wheat gluten, which boasts a high protein content and meaty texture. A staple ingredient at trendy vegan restaurants and plant butcher shops popping up across the country, seitan is featured in several new innovative meatless products at Expo East.

Field Roast Grain Meat Co. offers a slate of gourmet charcuterie-style sausages and deli slices made with seitan. A recent introduction from Upton’s Naturals is Ch’eesy Bacon Mac, a vegan dish with crispy bacon seitan.

Featuring bold packaging and an edgy personality, No Evil Foods offers seitan-based substitutes for chicken, Italian sausage, chorizo and pulled pork.

“No Evil Foods is a great example of a newer brand approaching this category in a really fresh and exciting way from a branding and packaging standpoint and their messaging,” Ms. Mast said.

Seitan also is found in many of the plant-based offerings from Sweet Earth, which earlier in September was acquired by Nestle USA. The latest launches include The Mayan Burrito and The Brazilian Burrito, each featuring seasoned ground seitan.