At Merchant Gourmet, we believe taste is everything. And our new range of Brilliantly Good Beans is no exception. We’ve worked with Italian experts to source the finest, tastiest beans, specially selected for their superior quality.
Each bean is perfectly cooked and seasoned with a dash of Italian extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt to elevate its natural taste, without any additives or preservatives. Conveniently packed in fuss-free pouches, our beans are ready to eat or heat, with no need to drain or rinse. Simply add straight to your favourite dishes or dive spoon-first into a pouch.
These are beans, made gourmet.
How We Make Our Beans
- We start by handpicking the best beans from each harvest, chosen for their superior quality and flavour.
- We soak our beans for up to 12 hours to achieve a soft, creamy texture.
- Our beans are cooked with water, sea salt and Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil to bring out their natural flavour, without any sulphites, additives or preservatives.
- Finally, our beans are packed into convenient pouches and cooked to lock in their delicious flavour.
Sustainability
Better for the planet
At Merchant Gourmet, we’ve always believed in the power of real, plant-based ingredients. By championing minimally processed whole grains and pulses, we create food that’s not only good for you but also for the planet.
Beans are one of the most sustainable protein sources on the planet. They use significantly less water, land, and energy than other proteins, and their production results in 90% less harmful greenhouse gasses than beef (per 100g of protein). [1]
A nutritional powerhouse
Unlike many highly processed meat alternatives, beans are a natural, affordable, and sustainable source of protein that grow straight from the ground. A pouch of Merchant Gourmet beans packs a serious protein punch - coming in at 8.4g of protein per 100g [2]. They’re also high in fibre and great for your gut.
Boosts soil health
Beans play a crucial role in improving soil health by fixing atmospheric nitrogen. Through a symbiotic relationship with soil bacteria, beans convert nitrogen into a form that plants can use, enriching the soil naturally. Acting as a natural fertiliser, beans help boost soil fertility [3] and including them in crop rotation promotes biodiversity and healthier ecosystems. [4]
Fighting food waste
Food waste accounts for 8-10% of annual global greenhouse gas emissions – nearly five times more than aviation emissions and enough to make it the world’s third-largest emitter if it were a country. Beans, with their long shelf-life, help reduce food waste. Perfectly cooked and portioned into convenient pouches, our beans are easy to store in your cupboard and ready to eat whenever you are, for minimal waste and maximum flavour.
A pouch for a reason
We know that food packaging has a fundamental role to play in reducing the environmental footprint of our food. As a brand that is committed to prioritising the planet, our team have worked hard to find the best way to pack our beans. Whilst plastic isn’t without its problems, we’ve chosen plastic pouches for now vs. jars or cans as the most carbon-efficient way to deliver our delicious products to you. Here’s why:
Lighter to transport = lighter carbon footprint*
*vs. cans, glass jars or plastic pots
Our pouches are drain-free, meaning we package our beans without the addition of water. They are lighter to transport and can be packed more efficiently than rigid containers, resulting in more product and less packaging on the pallet, in distribution and in storage. [6]
Convenient, microwaveable and drain-free
Ready to eat, straight from the pouch – with no need to drain or rinse. Our beans are easy to carry, open and add into your favourite recipes. The microwaveable pouches can be heated in under 2 minutes.
BPA free
Our pouches are proudly BPA-free.
Recycling scheme
Like all other Merchant Gourmet pouches, our Beans can be recycled via our Enval recycling scheme - a scheme to help close the loop and leave no plastic unrecycled. Simply order your free recycling envelope via this form, fill your envelope and pop it in the post.
Sources:
[1] Harwatt et al., 2017, Substituting beans for beef as a contribution toward US climate change targets[2] Average protein content per 100g across 3 x Merchant Gourmet Beans products
[3] https://www.mondaycampaigns.org/meatless-monday/beans-and-the-environment
[4] https://alegumeaday.com/environmental-benefits-of-beans/
[5] https://unfccc.int/news/food-loss-and-waste-account-for-8-10-of-annual-global-greenhouse-gas-emissions-cost-usd-1-trillion
[6] https://www.fresco.com/ditching-rigid-7-reasons-to-switch-to-flexible-beverage-packaging/