CINCINNATI — The Kroger Co. is extending its Simple Truth brand into the meat and dairy alternative category. The new products will include meat alternatives like fresh burger patties, ground applications, sausages and deli slices as well as cream cheese, French onion dip and queso.

The new products were announced during the Good Food Conference taking place in San Francisco.

“Since its launch in January 2013, Simple Truth has become the leading natural and organic brand in the country, with annual sales exceeding $2.3 billion,” said Gil Phipps, vice president of Our Brands, for the retailer. “As more of our customers embrace a flexitarian lifestyle, choosing to prioritize healthier food choices and reduce their environmental footprint, we are excited to meet their needs. We are introducing our Simple Truth Plant Based collection to offer even more fresh, remarkably delicious, animal-free food to provide shoppers with a greater selection of choices that are more accessible and affordable.”

The new products will be rolled out to stores starting this month and continue into 2020. Packaging will be easy-to identify and feature an icon that will help consumers find the items in the store, according to the company.

“Kroger's commitment to innovating and creating new plant-based food mirrors the growing number of customers exploring meat and dairy alternatives,” said Nicole Davis, Kroger’s senior category strategy and innovation manager for Our Brands. “Taste is and will always be our No. 1 focus, and you can expect Kroger to continue to invest in this category as we are committed to providing our customers with products that support their eating preferences and health and wellness goals.”