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sonic slinger

Consumers Flip for Sonic Slinger Mushroom Burger Blend

challenge

Faced with an oversupply of mushroom inventory, the Mushroom Council was hungry for innovative culinary formats that could offset the surplus and help mushroom farmers grow sales at scale. As part of the Menus of Change Initiative, the council turned to Creative Food Solutions to find alternative use cases that would increase mushroom consumption.

key insight

Alternative meat was on the rise, but there were downsides. Many plant-based alternatives lacked the taste and texture of the originals. They were also coming under fire for being high in calories, sodium, and fat. Mushrooms, however, have a springy, meat-like texture comparable to beef burgers. A mushroom blend burger would be lower in fat, sodium and calories, without compromising flavor.

solution

Frozen mushrooms ground into meat as a last step in the production process ensured a seamless emulsion, juicy texture and uncompromised flavor. Enter the Sonic Signature Slinger, a seasoned burger blend with 25% fresh, organic mushroom content. “The Slider was the first beef-mushroom blended fast food burger,” said Mike Buononato, SVP of Creative Food Solutions. “We tied into the healthier burger trend while leveling up the meaty flavor of mushrooms with umami notes.”

results

The Slinger was introduced in Texas and Oklahoma test markets, where sales proved strong. Consumer testing revealed a preference for it over the standard hamburger. Working with Sonic’s suppliers, we commercialized and scaled the Slinger for launch in all 3,500 restaurants. A partnership with The James Beard Foundation Blended Burger Project generated buzz.

tasty takeaways

  • The Sonic Slinger features 25% fresh, finely chopped organic mushrooms and 75% pure beef.
  • Outperformed the brand’s standard burger in consumer preference testing.
  • Rolled out nationally after launch in Texas and Oklahoma test markets.
  • Became part of the core menu due to consumer demand.

prestige

  • Winner of the 2018 Menu Masters Award for Best New Product Innovation
  • Developed in partnership with the James Beard Foundation Blender Burger Project

mushrooming category sales

  • Teton Waters Ranch has launched Taste Buds Top Dogs, a beef-and-veggies blend (see our case study).
  • Bush’s Beans has created a series of mushrooms-and-beans blended burger products.
  • Grateful Burger and Applegate blended burgers are also widely available at retail.