Wrestling king "Schwingerkönig 2019" and meat lover: Christian Stucki loves Planted on his barbeque

Kemptthal, April 10, 2025 - Planted, the Swiss FoodTech-pioneer, announces a powerful partnership: None other than the former wrestling king Christian Stucki will be the new brand ambassador for the upcoming BBQ campaign. New planted.steak listings and product variations are also on the cards.

Former wrestling king “Schwingerkönig 2019”, passionate amateur chef and self-confessed meat lover Christian Stucki has been dealing with the issue of sustainability for some time now and is trying to optimise his diet at the same time. In the process, he has discovered plant-based proteins from the Swiss flagship scale-up Planted as a useful supplement for himself. ‘When I tried the planted.steak, I was genuinely surprised at how good it tastes. The bite, the juiciness and the colour blew me away. I now cook it regularly for my family and thanks to the natural ingredients list and good nutritional values, it's not a compromise for me, but a great choice,’ says Stucki. 

Conscious enjoyment instead of sacrifice 

Stucki, who has lost around 25 kilograms since his active wrestling days, attaches great importance to a balanced diet and the best proteins. ‘Health is very important to me and I'm always open to alternatives in this respect. Great plant-based products like those from Planted make it easy for me to eat more consciously without sacrificing enjoyment.’ Stucki is particularly fond of the innovative planted.steak, but he also enjoys experimenting with planted.pulled and appreciates its versatility and culinary applications. 

As a father in particular, Stucki is committed to preserving the world for future generations: ‘I like to make a difference and break new ground. Consuming meat more consciously is an important lever. Perhaps, through this commitment, I can make a difference and inspire others to explore new paths as well. 

‘With Chrigu Stucki, Planted has gained an authentic, down-to-earth and approachable ambassador who shows that conscious nutrition and tradition are not mutually exclusive, but complement each other perfectly,’ emphasises Planted co-founder Pascal Bieri. With this partnership, Planted can prove that its products are not just for vegans or vegetarians, but also appeal to meat lovers. ' 

At the same time Planted is announcing its new strategic direction: ‘Approved by Meat Lovers’ - recommended by meat lovers. ‘Our aim is not to demonise meat, but to motivate conscious consumption with our delicious products. Anyone who has never tried Planted will be surprised at how good it tastes - just like Chrigu Stucki, we want to win over other meat lovers,’ says Pascal Bieri. 

The new planted.steak Paprika - perfect for the barbecue season 

The collaboration kicks off with the upcoming barbecue season and the new BBQ campaign centred around a new product. Following the extremely successful launch of the planted.steak last year, a new steak variation is taking centre stage this season: the planted.steak Paprika. Thanks to a thinner cut, combined with a savoury paprika and herb marinade, it is not only a highlight in terms of taste, but also particularly easy to prepare. It unfolds its full flavour on the grill in just five minutes and boasts a juicy texture thanks to Planted’s innovative fermentation technology. This makes the perfect option for anyone looking for a steak experience with a sustainable flavour. ‘The planted.steak paprika will certainly be on the grill a lot this summer’ says Stucki.

The production of a planted.steak causes 97% less CO2 emissions and requires 81% less water compared to conventional Swiss beef. At the same time, Planted remains true to its philosophy: the product is made exclusively from natural ingredients and is rich in protein, fibre, vitamin B12 and iron. The Swiss food tech company is thus proving once again that plant-based meat can not only hold its own, but also set new standards. No compromise, no substitute, but pure enjoyment that will win over even die-hard meat fans like Christian Stucki.

More retailers across Europe now stock the planted.steak & planted.steak paprika:  

✅ Netherlands - Albert Heijn welcomes the planted.steak & planted.steak Paprika

✅ Switzerland - The planted.steak Paprika launched at Coop & the planted.steak national at Migros

✅ Germany - The planted.steak Paprika launches nationwide at all EDEKA regions in the Rewe regions North and East & from 15.04. at Kaufland. The planted.steak launches nationwide at REWE, all EDEKA regions & from 15.04. at Kaufland

✅ Austria - Now available, the planted.steak at Interspar, Eurospar, Spar Gourmet, Billa & Billa Plus. From April 28th you can find the planted.steak Paprika in Austria at INTERSPAR and SPAR Gourmet!

Barbecue campaign throughout DACH region with a TV campaign in Germany and Austria 

Just in time for the start of the BBQ season, Planted is maximising its visibility throughout the DACH region with a large-scale TV campaign. Under the claim ‘Approved by Meat Lovers’, a humorous production shows how die-hard meat fans, starring Christian Stucki, are amazed when they take their first bite of planted.steak. 

The first commercials can be seen from the 21^st of April 2025 on ProSiebenSat.1 channels and the streaming platform Joyn in Germany and Austria. The video clip will also appear on various digital media, streaming platforms and Digital out of home in Switzerland.