The world’s first store-bought vegan steak by Netherlands-based food company Vivera is set to launch in Dutch and Belgian stores on June 11. The steak will appear at French multinational retailer Carrefour.
The move comes after former Commerical Director ar Vivera Gert Jan Gombert was newly appointed as the CCO of the company and its sister business, Culifrost & Dutch Tofu Company. Willem van Weede’s was also announced as the new CEO of the Enkco Foodgroup, which owns the businesses.
“There is an incredible lot to manage,” said Jan Gombert on business network LinkedIn. “Not only do we have already a growth level of >30%, on top of that comes the overwhelming success of our plantbased steak that is literally flying off the shelves at Tesco and that is about to be introduced in the Dutch and Belgian market as of the 11th of June. We face some challenges to make that introduction as successful as it was in the UK market but I am sure that, with the help of some amazing Vivera people that work around the clock and the understanding of our customers, we will manage! And I am so proud of that!”
“Let’s prove the World that plantbased steak does exist. And it is made in Holland! Holten to be precise!” he continued.
A press release earlier this month announced the plant-based steak’s UK debut. As Jan Gombert mentions, since its debut the groundbreaking product has seen major success and sales. Within its first week of sales at Tesco alone, the supermarket sold nearly 40,000 of the steaks, with many branches selling out of the entire first stock distribution in just a day.
“The consumers in England are almost without exception very enthusiastic about the taste and texture of the steak. The hashtag #Vivera almost explodes on Instagram. This ground-breaking product has also received a particularly positive reception from professional critics. We will do our utmost to meet market demand as much as possible by increasing our production faster than planned,” Jan Gombert said.
The vegan meat product’s entry into the Netherlands comes at an apt time. Amid a growing global awareness for plant-based food’s link to sustainability, health and animal welfare, many people are opting to forgo meat, dairy, and other conventional animal products. In April, the Dutch advisory board the Council for the Environmental Infrastructure took strides to propel the nation’s food system into a more sustainable future by releasing a report that entailed an urge for the government and parliament to be more proactive in helping people cut back on meat consumption.
Image Credit: Vivera
