The latest in food fashion: a vest to keep nuggets warm

Food brands have been dishing out a lot beyond food, enthusiastically releasing all kind of unusual merch. Recent buzzy drops include Pizza Hut’s pie-shaped gravity blanket and the return of Chipotle x e.l.f makeup. Last month, Church’s Chicken unveiled a limited-edition run of belt bags fitted with insulation meant to store its Texas Tenders. Now, a plant-based nugget brand has come up with its take on functional apparel.

The Nugget Pocket from LikeMeat is an insulated utility-meets-streetwear-style vest with a large pocket meant to keep its meatless nuggets warm for up to 90 minutes. Other pockets can easily secure napkins and dipping sauces for on-the-go dining. 

Sticking with the brand’s environmental goals, the vest was made with locally-sourced materials including certified organic cotton and upcycled food delivery bags. Printing was handled digitally to reduce water usage versus more conventional dyeing techniques. 

The ideation and design of the vest, and the marketing of it including a video, come from 72andSunny Amsterdam, LikeMeat’s global creative agency. The vests—20 in all—were handmade by the studio Leemans & Wickers in Amsterdam.

“As a life-long fan of carrying food in pockets, I was surprised how well the vest fit, and how well the insulation of the Nugget Pocket actually worked,” Gregg Clampffer, creative director at 72andSunny Amsterdam, said in a statement. “We are hoping this is but the first piece of NuggetWear we release for LikeMeat.”

The agency brought in director and photographer Arthur Couvat for his knowledge of streetwear culture. A mixed-media film, featuring16mm footage, VHS, and analog photography, promotes the vets.

Influencers in Germany will get the Nugget Pocket vest before it heads to the U.S., and fans in Germany can enter on social media to win one. Along with the brand’s own video, influencers including Berlin-based Stella Bossi are set to post content about the vest. 

LikeMeat, which sells products such as Like BBQ Chick’n, recently expanded in the U.S. at the Sprouts Farmers Market chain.

For more on the latest marketing in the category, joins the “Ad Age Next: Food and Beverage” virtual event on March 23. Register here.