# Meatless Spanish Sausages Trader Joe's 'Soy Chorizo' Mimics a Classic Cured Pork Sausage By Laura McQuarrie | Published 2017-01-21 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/soy-chorizo References: [traderjoes](http://www.traderjoes.com/digin/post/8th-annual-customer-choice-award-winners) & [traderjoes](http://www.traderjoes.com/fearless-flyer/article/988) As part of its 8th Annual Customer Choice Awards, Trader Joe's Soy Chorizo was named the winning favorite in the Meatless category. Chorizo is a type of spicy Spanish pork sausage that is traditionally made with a natural casings from intestines. These meatless sausages are packaged in inedible plastic casing that is to be removed before use. As Trader Joe's describes, its soy-based sausage is "made just for us by a small company that specializes in chorizo—they really do spend all their time focusing on chorizo, and we're pretty sure that's why this meat-free version is so authentic-tasting." Over the last few years, the rise of healthy, plant-based eating has inspired new menus, restaurants and products, as well as many new vegetarians, vegans or at the very least, carnivores who are more open-minded when it comes to experimenting with plant-based alternatives. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.1/10 - Popularity: 37% | Activity: 17% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Health](https://www.trendhunter.com/health) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Meatless Sausages:** The growing popularity of plant-based eating has created a demand for meatless sausages as a healthier and more sustainable alternative. - **Authentic-tasting Alternatives:** Consumers are seeking plant-based products that closely mimic the taste and texture of traditional animal-based foods, creating opportunities for authentic-tasting alternatives like Trader Joe's Soy Chorizo. - **Plant-based Menu Expansion:** The rise of plant-based eating has prompted restaurants and food establishments to expand their menus with more plant-based options, including meatless sausages. ### Who This Affects Most - **Plant-based Food:** The plant-based food industry is experiencing growth as consumers increasingly adopt plant-based diets and seek meatless alternatives. - **Food Retail:** Food retailers can seize the opportunity to cater to the growing demand for plant-based products by adding more meatless options like Trader Joe's Soy Chorizo to their shelves. - **Foodservice:** Restaurants and foodservice providers can attract a wider customer base by incorporating plant-based sausages into their menus, tapping into the rising interest in healthier and sustainable eating. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Meat-Free Chorizo Dishes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/soyrizo.md) - [Meat-Free Breakfast Patties](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/meatless-breakfast-sausage-patties.md) - [Vegan Chorizo QSR Proteins](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/taco-del-mar.md) - [Plant-Based Sausage Meats](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/plant-based-spicy-chorizo.md) - [Artisanal Plant-Based Sausages](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tofurky-sausages.md) - [Protein-Packed Meatless Meatballs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/meatless-meatballs1.md) - [Plant-Based Chorizo Proteins](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/plantbased-chorizo.md) - [Vegan Ground Meat Mixtures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/meatless-ground.md) - [Aromatic Plant-Based Sausages](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/aromatic-plantbased-sausages.md)