IKEA Is Putting a Swedish Twist on an American Sandwich Classic
Line up for the Lingonberry Pulled Pork Sandwich.
Photo courtesy of IKEA
The IKEA food menu is growing! The furniture giant announced Tuesday that it’s adding a new tasty meal to all of its U.S. stores. While the Swedish chain is famous for its delectable meatballs (and of course an array of inexpensive furniture) this menu item combines Swedish and American culinary traditions.
Beginning May 4, IKEA will offer hungry customers the chance to chow down on its new Lingonberry Pulled Pork Sandwich. The tasty sandwich combines classic American fare with a Swedish twist, as it features both lingonberries and a vinegar-based BBQ sauce.
As IKEA fans may know, lingonberries — a.k.a. mountain cranberries — are small red berries with a sour and tart, yet slightly sweet flavor. The chain also sells lingonberry jam during the summer, which Swedes traditionally eat with meatballs and potato fritters. In the case of the pulled pork sandwich, the lingonberries will complement the vinegar-filled barbeque sauce.
What’s more? This sweet and savory sandwich, which comes on a Brioche bun, will be served at IKEA restaurants nationwide with a side of mac and cheese. The entire meal retails for $4.99.
However, IKEA notes that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, those interested in sampling this new dish should check their local IKEA store web page to ensure the restaurant is open before visiting.
Though IKEA is obviously best known for its practical (albeit sometimes difficult-to-assemble) furniture and home goods, the brand’s food is quite popular as well. In fact, IKEA food is so beloved across the globe that in 2019, the company began testing home food delivery in Paris.
“We have launched a ‘delivery’ pilot in the center of Paris,” Gerry Dufresne, one of the heads of IKEA Food Services, told a Spanish publication at the time.
And in addition to experimenting with how people can better access its food, IKEA has also been making an effort to ensure that customers with different dietary needs and requirements can enjoy some good grub. In 2020, the company released a vegan version of its popular meatballs made with yellow pea protein, oats, potatoes, onion and apple.
Aside from being meat-free, the vegan meatballs, which are called “plant balls,” are also better for the environment. According to IKEA, when compared to a traditional meatball, the climate footprint of one of the chain’s plant balls is only 4 percent.
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