Boca

In 1979, long before the current plant-based boom, the story of Boca Burger began in a restaurant in Boca Raton, Florida, with a product called the "Sun Burger". This marked the entry of one of the first frozen, plant-based burger alternatives to the market. For over a decade, the Boca Foods Company expanded its offerings, introducing meatless versions of products like chicken nuggets, sausages, and chili. The company hit a significant inflection point in early 2000 when Kraft Foods announced it would acquire the privately held Boca Burger, Inc. At the time of the acquisition, Boca's revenues were approximately $40 million, having nearly doubled from the previous year. Under Kraft's ownership, sales continued to climb, reaching $70 million by 2002 as the food giant leveraged its extensive distribution network to bring Boca products to a mass market. However, the integration into the larger corporation eventually saw the brand's momentum slow. While it was a pioneer, its growth stagnated over the years. In a bid to recapture its innovative roots in a market now populated by new, headline-grabbing competitors, the brand, now under Kraft Heinz, has undergone reformulations and rebranding efforts to appeal to a new generation of consumers.