Wildbrine’s Mediterranean and Kimchi-Style Fermented Chickpea Salads, a historic first in fermentation, debut at Whole Foods Markets on April 1 Sauerkraut and kimchi powerhouse Wildbrine has announced the first-ever packaged fermented bean…

Wildbrine’s Mediterranean and Kimchi-Style Fermented Chickpea Salads, a historic first in fermentation, debut at Whole Foods Markets on April 1

Sauerkraut and kimchi powerhouse Wildbrine has announced the first-ever packaged fermented bean salad, marking unprecedented and significant innovation in the fermentation space. The bright, savoury Mediterranean and Kimchi-Style Fermented Chickpea Salads deliver a rare trifecta of protein, fibre, and live fermentation – all while maintaining the beans’ natural bite and texture. 

“This is the kind of innovation that redefines an entire category,” said Jorge Azevedo, CEO of Wildbrine. “Fermented foods have long been associated with gut health, and beans with plant-based protein and fibre, but never before have those benefits lived in one convenient, ready-to-eat product.”

Well before “dense bean salad” went viral in 2024 and the “savoury girl” aesthetic emerged this year, wildbrine was already at work on its bean salad recipe. Wildbrine’s Fermented Chickpea Salad was perfected to ferment without breaking down the beans, a proprietary process guided by FFH’s expert food scientists, including Wildbrine co-founder Chris Glab.

“What truly differentiates this first-of-its-kind fermented bean salad is its functional integrity at the microbiological and metabolic level,” said Glab. “Through fermentation, the beans undergo a natural biotransformation that enhances nutrient bioavailability, reduces antinutrients like phytic acid, and improves overall digestibility – making plant proteins, minerals such as iron and zinc, and B vitamins more accessible to the body.”

Wildbrine’s Fermented Chickpea Salads delivers on all three of today’s most in-demand attributes: protein, fiber and probiotic benefits. Sixty nine percent of Americans are actively trying to consume more fiber and 71 per cent are looking to increase protein intake. Meanwhile, sales of probiotic-rich fermented foods are growing 9 per cent year-over-year.

“As a dietitian, I regularly encourage both fermented foods and legumes for gut health; fermented foods for their live cultures and beans for their prebiotic fibre and plant-based protein,” said Kelly Springer, RD, MS, CDN. “Seeing those benefits combined in one minimally processed, ready-to-eat option via the Wildbrine Chickpea Salads is remarkable. It reflects what we now understand about truly supporting the microbiome: pairing the fibres that nourish beneficial bacteria with fermentation that actively introduces and activates them.”