Plant-based food brand The Vegetarian Butcher has been acquired by Vivera from Unilever.
The Vegetarian Butcher was bought by Unilever in 2018 from founder Jaap Korteweg, with Unilever highlighting that it has since then delivered “strong double-digit growth” on average, and expanded to a presence in more than 55 markets worldwide – both in retail and in foodservice.
Unilever said that The Vegetarian Butcher’s “unique set” of technological and R&D capabilities “differs significantly” from the requirements of the wider Unilever portfolio.
It also focused on the brand’s “distinct supply chain and sourcing model”, labelling the brand as “less scalable” within the Unilever portfolio as a result.
Heiko Schipper, president of Unilever Foods, said: “Since the acquisition, The Vegetarian Butcher has delivered significant growth and launched many extraordinary products. The creative, impactful communication campaigns have fostered genuine love for the brand among consumers. These efforts have not only driven the success of the brand, but also reinforced the Unilever commitment to plant-based foods and breakthrough innovation.
“I believe that The Vegetarian Butcher is poised for even greater success in the next phase of its journey under new ownership that is dedicated to plant-based meat replacements. This focused expertise will support the brand in its ambitious goal to become the Biggest Butcher of the World.”
Rutger Rozendaal, CEO at The Vegetarian Butcher, said: “We are very excited for The Vegetarian Butcher to be joining forces with Vivera, as it will bring the opportunity to combine our strengths and deliver even greater value to our partners and our consumers.”
Willem van Weede, Vivera CEO, commented: “The impressive and relentless dedication of the people of The Vegetarian Butcher have brought the vision of Jaap Korteweg to life on unprecedented scale and ‘sacrificing nothing’.
“Vivera is proud to unite with such like-minded believers in and experts of plant-based products, with the same big ambition towards a better and much more plant-based food chain. We are looking forward to together accelerate this important transition, leveraging the complementary competencies of our both companies.”
