UK startup Plant Heads has taken its vegan liquid egg, Crackd, to the US, starting with retailers in Chicago and several Texas cities.
As Just Egg rolls out in the UK, another plant-based egg is crossing the Atlantic.
This time, it’s going from Britain to the US, taking on the dominance of Just Egg in its home market. Crackd, the No-Egg Egg – the pourable vegan alternative produced by Plant Heads – has secured its first set of retail listings stateside.
The product is available at Jewel-Osco stores in Chicago, and at Albertsons, Randalls and Tom Thumb in Dallas, Houston, Austin and other major Texas cities. Together, these cities represent six of the 12 largest metropolitan areas in the US.
“The US offers a larger single language market with high purchasing power and consumer demand,” Jonathan Traub, president of Plant Heads’s US business, tells Green Queen when asked why the firm chose the country as its second market. “It aligned better with our long-term strategic goals, for our brand positioning, innovation adoption, and scalability.”
Plant Heads teases new Crackd products by 2025-end
First appearing on shelves in late 2020, Crackd has won several taste, free-from and packaging awards over the years, and established itself as the leading plant-based liquid egg alternative in the UK.
It’s made from a base of water, pea protein, corn oil, methycellulose, and pea starch, and is free from the 14 top allergens. It contains 2.7g of protein per 100g, 2g of fat (less than 0.2g of which is saturated), and zero cholesterol, while also being rich in vitamins B12 and D.
Unlike in the UK, where Crackd comes in a bottle with the equivalent of six eggs, the US version is packed in pourable pouches enough to replace seven eggs.
The product can be cooked in a pan or microwave, and used in baking applications as well. Crackd can be used to make scrambles, omelettes, breakfast burritos, pancakes, and more. Plant Heads says the launch will appeal to Americans looking to eat healthier without sacrificing taste.
“When they try Crackd, consumers will find superior taste and texture in a healthier, all-natural, freezeable, microwaveable version of America’s breakfast staple,” says Traub.
In the US, Just Egg accounts for 99% of the plant-based egg market. How does Crackd plan to compete? “The introduction of a quality-competitive product will change that landscape and grow the category,” he argues.
“Crackd is made from pea protein, is free from 14 major allergens, [has] zero cholesterol, non-GMO, and mimics real egg when cooking and baking. It tastes delicious, and we have some amazing line extensions launching towards the end of 2025.”
Crackd ‘well-positioned’ to compete with Just Egg in the UK
It comes amid an avian flu crisis that has pushed US egg prices to record highs – in some cities, Americans were paying $1 per egg this year. Now, three in five consumers are concerned about the affordability of eggs, 44% about their availability, and 31% about their safety.
Plant-based alternatives have been a major beneficiary as a result. In January alone, Just Egg’s sales grew five times faster than in the past year, and 56% of shoppers returned to buy more (a three-point increase from 2024).
Plant Heads, whose vegan egg is priced at $6.99 to $7.49 per 12oz pack, has not disclosed its revenues for over the previous year, but Traub offers: “We had a very soft year-end launch for 2024 and first half of 2025 as we prepared for mass production in the US, ensuring quality and supply for our customers as we head into the second half of 2025.”
As part of this expansion plan, it is now in discussions with foodservice operators too. “Our retail brokers are in contact with most major retailers on a weekly basis and will be available in new doors very soon,” he adds.
Back home in the UK, the vegan egg category has had a shake-up with the arrival of Just Egg. Traub calls its entry “bold”, but notes that Crackd, as its main rival, is “well-positioned to compete effectively”.
“We started as a home-grown UK brand with deep ties to local sustainability and food innovation efforts,” he says. “It’s business as usual for the Crackd team, and [we] believe our US expansion will build even more trust in our brand in the UK. Competition is healthy and gives the consumer a choice.”
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