UK plant-based firm, The Meatless Farm Co, is continuing to expand with a new Brakes listing from this month. This follows a series of successful UK and international retail launches including Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Co-op and Whole Foods Market in the US and comes amid a plant-based boom. The new listing will ensure The Meatless Farm Co’s range of plant-based mince, burgers and sausages are available for operators nationwide, as demand increases. The company’s products are made from a signature mix of pea, soya and rice protein.

‘‘As the momentum for plant-based continues to build, working with Brakes is an important partnership for us. We know that 41 percent of consumers are increasing the amount of plant-based meals they’re eating while dining out this year and we’re providing a high-quality plant-based range that will help operators answer this demand,” says Rob Woodall, CEO of The Meatless Farm Co.

The launch into Brakes closely follows The Meatless Farm Co, seeing its ground mince and burger patties stocked in Whole Foods Market stores across the US, which began this summer. The US rollout also follows launches of the brand’s products in the UK, Sweden, Canada and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Innova Market Insights data notes that there has been a 45 percent average annual growth of food and beverage launches with a vegan positioning (CAGR, 2013-2017). These products increased their market penetration in Europe from 1.5 percent in 2013 to seven percent in 2017.

Within the vegan meat space, trends were also highlighted in last year’s Innova Market Insights consumer survey which showed one in five US consumers “have eaten less meat across the past year.” Meat substitutes accounted for 14 percent of global meat launches in the first nine months of 2018, up from six percent in 2013, the market researcher reports. 

There has also been considerable activity and innovation from new plant-based meat brands targeting opportunities for good-tasting, nutritious and sustainable options among vegetarians, vegans, meat reducers and flexitarians.

A recent report from US global management consulting firm AT Kearney asserts that most meat of the future will not come from slaughtered animals – instead, by 2040 the majority (60 percent) will be derived from cultured meat or plant-based alternatives that look and taste like meat. 

Plant-based NPD is continuing to dominate this year as the number of meat alternative products is increasing all of the time. This is also marked by a multitude of key players moving beyond their traditional offerings to capitalize on the popularity of plant-based products.

Sarah Wilkinson, Brakes’ Head of Food and Brand adds that “the high-quality Meatless Farm Co products” are a great addition to the Brakes’ range. “They are innovative, deliver on taste and texture and can be used for a broad range of menu items. And, of course, they fit perfectly with the ongoing trend towards plant-based diets,” she notes. 

Among the key drivers behind consumers opting to eat more plant-based meals are the environment, health and animal welfare. According to The Meatless Farm Co, a rising number of consumers would be more likely to go to a restaurant or pub if they knew that it was introducing a new plant-based menu option.

The Meatless Farm Co was started in 2016 by Morten Toft Bech. It aims to improve people’s health through better eating while supporting the environment and reducing dependency on intensive farming.