Plant-Based Meat and Dairy Landscape in the Slovak Republic

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PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC

Trends, products and consumer insights for 2020 CONTENT

3 Slovakia is opening up to its plant-based future

8 Plant-based alternatives to meat and meat products & sausages 9 Market overview

15 Opportunity to enter the market

16 Plant-based alternatives to milk and dairy products 17 Market overview

21 Opportunity to enter the market

22 Resources SLOVAKIA IS OPENING UP TO ITS PLANT-BASED FUTURE

Plant nutrition is gaining popularity 64.3 kg of meat, since 2017 consump- among Slovak consumers. As in many tion has increased by 2.4%, growth has other countries, the initiators of the also been registered in the previous change are mainly young and highly ed- years. Although this is a significantly ucated people. However, the interest in lower consumption compared to neigh- reducing the consumption of meat and boring countries and Slovaks are char- animal products is growing in basically acterized by a lower level of meat con- all age groups. And the expanding range sumption, the Statistical Office points of plant products and alternatives on out that the differences are also due store shelves is reflected by that. to a different calculation methodology and, in fact, the consumption might be The most up-to-date overview of the slightly higher than that. Slovak consumer is provided by the Plant Nutrition in Slovakia survey, which was carried out for the “Jem pre Zem” More than 40% of consumers (translates as “I eat for the Earth”) proj- desire a change in their diet ect by the Focus agency at the end of According to the above-mentioned 2019. The analysis focused not only on survey by Focus, almost 60% of Slovaks how Slovaks approach plant nutrition, (59.1%) do not intend to give up meat but also what buying habits Slovak con- and animal products in the future. Half sumers have in various plant categories. a percent of the population eats pure- The results are in favor of the trend ly vegan, 3% choose a vegetarian diet of plant nutrition. Unlike, for example, and 14.7% of Slovaks reduce their con- Czech consumers, Slovaks are signifi- sumption of meat and animal products. cantly more inclined to plant-based In addition to that, as many as 22.7% diets and are willing to change their of survey respondents consider eating habits, reduce animal foods reducing the consumption of meat or eliminate them altogether from and animal products in their diet. their diets. If we look back a couple of years, to Despite that, Slovaks are meat lovers, 2016, when the Nielsen Admosphere similar to Czechs, but they consume sig- agency surveyed the number of vegans nificantly less meat compared to other in Slovakia in a sample of 500 online Central European countries. The data respondents, the results showed that of the Statistical Office of Slovakia for the Slovak internet population (approx- 2018 show that each Slovak consumed imately 3.7 million people) has 1% veg-

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC | 2020 3 ans, 2% vegetarians and almost 11% of plant-based alternatives to meat or respondents reducing their meat con- dairy products, it is necessary to find sumption. According to Nielsen, these these products easily on store shelves. were probably the first figures about And Slovakia is not doing bad at all here, vegans in Slovakia. Expressed in num- global and local producers and retailers bers, in 2016 there were more than half are quickly reacting and bringing a more a million people in Slovakia looking for varied choice for those who already sustainable and responsible options for choose a purely plant-based diet and their diet, today it is significantly more. for those who are just slowly flirting with the idea of jumping on the plant- based trend as well.

14.7% of Women are leading the way in Slovaks reducing animal-based foods If we look at plant diet lovers from reduce their a gender perspective, women are clearly in the lead. More than half consumption (51.5%) of them in the Focus survey said that they have already of meat reduced, or are currently reducing, their consumption of meat and ani- and animal mal products. Out of these, 0.4% were vegans, 4.9% were vegetarians, 20% products were already reducing their consumption and 26.2% were considering this step in their dietary preferences. Consumer interest in vegan, vegetarian Men are a little more conservative in or flexitarian diets was compared by their diet. 70.4% of Slovak men do not the Focus agency to the 2017 survey intend to change the animal component results, and the results clearly show that in their eating habits, as it is an integral the numbers of those who cut down on part of their diet. However, less than a meat and animal foods have increased third (29.6%) of men have already from 13.2% to 14.7%. and the number reduced or want to reduce their of those who consider such a change in consumption of meat and animal their diet increased even by more than products, with 0.7% being vegans, 5% - from 17.3 to 22.7%. 0.9% vegetarians, 9.1% of men already For Slovak consumers to have the reducing their consumption of animal motivation to try plant-based diets or products and almost a fifth (18.8%) con-

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC | 2020 4 sidered reducing. sumption and 15.8% are considering it. Although plant-based eating is more the Education also plays a key role in the domain of women, in the end it may not growing interest in plant-based diets. It be as hopeless with men either, because is dominated mainly by consumers with women have a direct impact on the a university degree, 47.9% of them have composition of the family’s diet. With reduced, are reducing or plan to reduce varied and tasty plant-based foods, they their consumption of animal products. can play a crucial role in motivating men 1.5% of them eat vegan and 3.3% veg- in the future. etarian. Almost a fifth (18.3%) are reducing their consumption and almost a The change is brought mainly quarter (24.8%) are considering it. by the young generation Even the middle-age generation As in other countries, young consumers aged 18 to 24 are leading the way does not avoid a plant-based in reducing the consumption of animal diet products. Among them, almost a tenth A closer look at the older generation are vegetarians (9.5%) and another suggests that the willingness to change more than a fifth (21%) reduce their an- their eating habits is the lowest. In the imal consumption. However, if we look category 65+, however, 1.1% of consum- at the category of those who reduce or ers are vegans and 1.6% vegetarians, and are about to reduce their animal con- in addition to that, another 11% reduce sumption, the representation of age their consumption of meat and animal categories expands quite significantly to products. The proportion of vegans other age groups as well. It is far from in this age group is surprisingly higher the truth to say that only very young than in the 35-44 years group. We can people limit or would like to reduce hardly find vegans in the slightly “young- their consumption of animal products, er” older generation (55-64 years), not and that this is therefore a trend that many vegetarians (only half a percent), mainly affects one age group. It is also 12.5% are interested in reducing the reduced or wants to be reduced by consumption of animal products and consumers in the age category of 25- 23.7% are considering it. Consumers 34 years and 35-44 years. The biggest from the 45-54 age group are consid- change, however, is brought by the ering to reduce their consumption the youngest generation. Almost half of the most, while 11.4% have already reduced students are reducing or considering it. Although the survey did not exam- to reduce their consumption of animal ine the main motives of consumers to products. Out of these, 8.6% are veg- change their behavior, it can be esti- etarians, 23.7% are reducing their con- mated that it is mainly influenced by an

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC | 2020 5 interest in healthier eating, given that at this age people begin to experience While in 2010 the media dealt the first health problems, often caused mainly with the explanation by poor diets and over-consumption of of both concepts, i.e. what animal products. “Habit is an iron shirt” veganism and vegetarianism as we say in Czech and people do not mean and what the differences change their eating habits over night. are between them, in recent The growing number of those who eat years the topics have become purely vegan or vegetarian, those who are already reducing their consumption more in-depth and are and especially those who are consider- mentioned in a broader context. ing it suggests that the direction to a plant-based future in Slovakia has a very Both topics are most mentioned in con- good and solid foundation. nection with a healthy lifestyle, but also in regards to the offer of restaurants or More than 2,400 mentions in products. Topics also deal with the nu- the media, dominated by online tritional composition of food, vegan and vegetarian food preparation (recipes), Plant-based foods are at the forefront the alternatives to meat and legislation. of consumers’ interest, especially for Although both trends in plant nutri- their health benefits.People are in- tion are mostly associated with health creasingly interested in what they benefits, they also arouse some contro- eat, where the food they buy comes versy. In almost a fifth of the articles, a from and how it is processed. Sus- negative context appeared, which, on tainability and ethics are also gain- the contrary, associates veganism and ing ground. The media, especially vegetarianism with a health risk, mainly online, make it easier to access informa- for a certain group of the population tion. Newton Media focused on veg- (pregnant women and children). anism and vegetarianism as the most well-known forms of alternative eating. Specialized websites, events It monitored media visibility not only in and institutions help with 2018, but also aimed to find out how the public education topic has changed in the Slovak media since 2010. In 2018, almost 2,400 infor- One of the popularizers of plant-based mation and mentions appeared in the foods is the mentioned “Jem pre Zem” media on the Slovak market, while the (I Eat for the Earth) project, which difference between the media coverage brings the topic even closer to ordinary of veganism or vegetarianism is practi- consumers in a broader context. For cally negligible. example, consumers can take part in a

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC | 2020 6 free plant challenge programme that on the use of labeling of plant foods not only provides them with more infor- derived from meat and milk names. As mation on how to live more sustainably, one of the first national platforms, the but they also learn the basics of a plant- Association is part of the emerging Eu- based diet and, through more than a ropean Alliance for Plant-Based Foods. hundred of inspiring recipes, their plant There is a tangible effort to share expe- nutrients. “Jem pre Zem” also helps riences across disciplines and catego- retailers and restaurants with a better ries and to work together to develop a understanding of the offered products promising and growing segment of the and raw materials for the preparation food industry. of plant-based dishes. It points out in A number of specialized websites (for particular that the plant-based direction example) are also helping to popularize of the supply will bring them a new cus- the topic, and food festivals also help. tomer base and increase the turnover. One of the biggest is the Vegan Feast In September 2020, the “Jem pre Zem” (Veganské hody), which offers tens of project organized the first professional thousands of Slovaks the best of the conference Plant-Powered Future Slo- sustainable and responsible cuisine. vakia 2020, which welcomed represen- During the spring coronavirus pandem- tatives of retailers, restaurants, food ic, the event was even held online for producers, representatives of the meat the first time. Through a live broadcast industry who are open to new solutions, on Facebook, the organizers acquainted new food start-ups and food tech inves- the audience with interesting lectures, tors. a cooking show, involved them in inter- At the end of 2019, companies that esting discussions and fun challenges, produce or distribute plant-based while in restaurants all over Slovakia, foods created a new platform as people could pick up a special plant- part of the section of the Slovak As- based menu through the delivery win- sociation for Branded Products. It dow. Supporters of plant nutrition were brings together international companies called upon by the organizers to save (Coca-Cola HBC, Danone, Dr. Oetker, plant-based restaurants in times of cri- McCarter, Nestlé, Unilever and others) sis with the “#zachranrastlinnegastro” as well as local players with the ambi- campaign (translates as #savetheplant- tion to be a single partner for public in- gastro). The campaign brought togeth- stitutions, professionals and the general er plant-based and vegetarian restau- public. The association took part, for rants from all over Slovakia and offered example, in the dialogue on the Euro- customers either a personal pick up or pean strategy From the farmer to the home delivery in cooperation with one consumer and in the debate on the ban of the local delivery services.

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC | 2020 7 PLANT-BASED ALTERNATIVES TO MEAT AND MEAT PRODUCTS & SAUSAGES

The topic of plant nutrition resonates the plant food category through burg- in the Slovak society very well, the me- ers. Their offer is expanding on the dia pay attention to the topic and new Slovak market and, therefore, consum- companies are constantly emerging ers have plenty of opportunities to try in Slovakia that are actively involved the path to a meatless (and yet full of in plant production and creating our flavor) plant future. plant-based future. Plant alternatives A survey by Focus shows that approx- for meat and sausages (smoked meat imately 4 out of 10 respondents buy products) are thus gaining in popular- alternatives to meat and meat products ity and consumers are more and more or milk and dairy products. often looking for them on store shelves. Not only companies that respond to the In 2019, more than a third of Slovak trend pay attention to this, but also re- households (36.4%) bought plant al- tailers who are trying to bring success- ternatives of meat and sausages at ful products and brands to market. least once. More than a fifth (21.6%) bought them once or twice, and 14.8% According to a survey by Garden Gour- of respondents went for three or more met (Nestlé), consumers usually enter purchases.

Purchase of plant alternatives of meat and sausages Have you or your family purchased (and 21.6 % how often) in the last 12 months? • 62 % no, I don’t know • 14.8 % three or more times 14.8 % 62 % • 21.6 % once or twice

Source: Jem pre Zem, Focus, 2019

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC | 2020 8 MARKET OVERVIEW are ready-made meals, by which the company tries to meet the demand of Alfa Bio (Lunter) plant food lovers for traditional meals offering a plant alternative. These are, The Slovak family company Alfa Bio for example, plant-based roast with was founded in 1992, but the family was onion, Bolognese sauce, Koložvár cab- actively interested in healthy nutrition bage with groats, plant-based liver or only 10 years earlier. The small family meatloaf mixture. Various types of business soon grew into a modern com- burgers, falafels and fillings (e.g. for pany which, thanks to its rich know-how dumplings) can be easily made from the and new technologies, sets trends in the plant meat mixture. Lovers of traditional tofu-based plant market. The company meat-based dishes can therefore try a is the second largest producer of tofu in tasty plant alternative. The products are Europe and processes exclusively soy- easily and quickly prepared and ready- beans grown in Europe without any use to-eat. For example, the consumer just of GMOs. needs to heat up the roasted meal on The company supplies (not only the fried onion. Lunter products are avail- Slovak market) with its diverse range able in most retail chains or health food of tofu products for both savoury and stores. sweet food lovers under the Lunt- er brand. These are mainly natural Garden Gourmet (Nestlé) plant-based spreads in various flavors Nestlé Slovakia introduced a brand and tofu in flavoured options, such as of meatless products in the spring of smoked, basil, thyme, marinated and 2020. As an international player, it plays sweet chilli. a significant role in building the en- A novelty in their assortment of plant tire category of plant alternatives. The alternatives to meat and meat prod- products are manufactured directly in ucts are vacuum-packed tofu-based the Czech Republic in the production spicy and delicate sausages that are plant in Krupka, from where they have smoked with beech wood smoke. An- been successfully supplied mainly to other novelty in the company’s range Western European countries for many years already, which means that the products do not travel half across the world to their end consumers. By entering the market, the company responded to the lack of supply on the market and also the ever-growing interest of consumers in reducing the con- New ready-made meals from Alfa Bio

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC | 2020 9 Garden Gourmet’s flagship product: Sensational Burger sumption of meat and animal products. People are willing to try plant products, live healthy and do something for the planet, but at the same time they do not want to give up the experience of meat and taste also plays an important role for them. It is taste that is key to The brand’s range includes three prod- the success of a product, and the Nestlé uct lines (Meat Alternatives, Premium brand devotes considerable resources Sensational and Vegetable Goodies), to the development of new products, which offers a total of seven products. not only from a nutritional point of In meat alternatives, customers will view, but also from the taste point of find Veggie schnitzel, which is a plant view. Most refrigerated meals contain replacement for one of the traditional soy and wheat proteins, in the future and very popular Czech dishes. Then the company would like to work with there are Veggie strips, which can be peas. easily used in recipes instead of chick-

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC | 2020 10 en, due to their specific structure. The chased at Kaufland, Billa or Fresh plus range is completed by Veggie balls and and in selected stores on the traditional Veggie burger. Vegetable goodies offer market (CBA, COOP). Since November two products - Veggie rondo spinach & 2020 also at Tesco. cheese and Falafel. The Sensational premium line is cur- Veto Eco rently the company’s flagship with its The Czech company Veto Eco supplies Sensational Burger. According to the a wide range of products based on tofu company’s representatives, burgers are and soy, wheat and pea protein. The a turning point through which many products do not need to be heated up customers enter the plant category. for a long time and their taste can be Since October 2020, Sensational Burger further enhanced with spices. In the has improved its recipe and thanks to category of plant meat alternatives, a new processing method it contains a products under the VegiSteak brand are larger proportion of soy protein and at known in a number of options. the same time has less fat. (Sensational Burger was previously sold under the name Incredible Burger, due to com- plaints from Impossible Foods and a subsequent court decision, the company had to rename it). Currently, the company is working on improving the existing recipes and developing new Plant-based meat alternatives from Veto Eco products that should appear on the For example, VegiSteak Kukuřízek, market in 2021. It wants to strengthen which is an alternative to meat schnitzel the segment of “white meat” alterna- with a juicy and fibrous texture, made tives, but new products should also ap- from tofu, wheat protein, peas, rape- pear in the Sensational line. In addition seed oil and corn. They are pre-fried, to the refrigerated range, the company so they can be easily heated and con- is also considering the frozen products sumed immediately, or prepared on segment. the grill or as a natural steak or fried Garden Gourmet is gaining strength, in breadcrumbs. In the process of grill- especially in retail, where despite the ing, VegiSteak products gain a tender initial distrust of buyers it succeeds in consistency and a juicy core, which will convincing the representatives that the satisfy customers’ need for meat taste. category makes sense, and especially if VegiSteak čevapčiči and VegiSteak tofu it has a varied offer, because it means strips also offer similarly rounded tex- better sales. Most products can be pur- tures and flavors.

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC | 2020 11 In 2019, the company introduced new with plant seasonings that resemble the recipes and enriched the offer of plant taste of roasted chicken. Salami can be meat alternatives with VegiSteak veg- used instead of meat sausages in both an patties. In addition to standard raw cold and hot cuisine. materials, the company enriched it with quinoa and sun-dried tomatoes. Beyond Meat The product is pre-fried, so it is again The California company has been made characterized by a very easy prepara- famous by its plant-based burger Be- tion. Another novelty was VegiSteak yond Burger, which is very similar in yakoma-so - spicy slices that resemble taste and structure to the classic beef beef in taste and texture. After heating burger. The main raw material is pea up, they can replace meat in tradition- protein, in addition to that also bam- al Czech cuisine, such as the famous boo fiber, coconut oil, yeast and other svíčková (sirloin sauce). VegiSteak yako- flavoring ingredients. The burger does ma-so can also be prepared as a classic not contain soy or gluten. The brand burger. entered the Slovak market in June 2019 The company’s offer also includes Vege- and consumers can buy it, for exam- tarian sausages (made from tofu, buck- ple, in Kaufland stores, the Slovak retail wheat, vegetable oil and egg white), network Yeme and Metro. Beyond Meat Vegetarian sausages or Tofu nuggets also penetrates the gastronomy - cus- with cheese. Veto Eco’s product range tomers can taste it at the street food includes a diverse range of Patifu tofu Vegan kiosk in Bratislava and it is also spreads or a classic range of natural, offered by Urban House or Re:fresh smoked and Tofu burgers. It is the Tofu restaurant. burger, as a flavored and shortly-fried slice of natural tofu, that during the frying process it strengthens its consistency and then tastes like a slice of meat, which can be further prepared as a burger or used to replace meat in other dishes. Consumers also appreciate the meaty taste with the addition of herbs in the product line of vegetarian salami. The company offers them in variations of herbs, delicacy, hunters, paprika and with a plant chicken-like taste. The com- Beyond Meat burger pany achieved this with a special recipe

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC | 2020 12 Opékáčky, Vegárky (Sojaprodukt) The Slovak company Sojaprodukt has been producing a new generation of food products since 2000 and offers several dozen products with good dietary and taste properties on the Slo- vak, Czech, Hungarian and Austrian markets. Thanks to new technological procedures, it mainly offers plant sausages on the market. Vegárky are a K-take it veggie (Kaufland) gluten-free plant variation of soy sausages, which can be very easily prepared From retail chains in Slovakia, Kaufland by boiling for three minutes. The com- probably offers the widest range of pany also offers De Luxe Vegárky with plant alternatives across all categories. a mixture of hot spices and sea salt and Within its K-take it veggie’s own brand, Vegárky Zeleninové (Vegetable-based). these are, for example, spaghetti bo- Smoked soy sausages Opékáčky are also lognese or lasagna. But the retailer also suitable for cold consumption or heat offers well-known brands, such as Gar- preparation. Soy slices also offer plant den Gourmet, Vege4fun, Lunter, Beyond meat alternatives. The range is complet- Meat, Veganz, Queen of Peas and many ed by natural, smoked and flavored tofu. others. The offer also includes tofu products. Goody Foody (Alfa Sorti) Naturli‘ Goody Foody is a Slovak family brand of meatless refrigerated and frozen prod- Products of the Danish company Natur- ucts, which are close to meat in appear- li‘ Foods A/S have been distributed on ance and taste. Their preparation is very the Slovak market by Ekvia since the quick and simple, they can be con- end of 2019, and consumers will find sumed mostly without heat treatment, it exclusively at the Tesco retail chain. or the heating is in a matter of minutes. The offer includes Naturli‘ ground meat Alfa Sorti offers its range in refrigerated and Naturli‘ burger. Vegan products are and frozen variations by weight also for made on the basis of pea protein, which the gastro and HoReCa segment. is in 80% grown in Denmark. Both products offer consumers space for culinary The chilled and frozen range of vegan art without meat. burgers includes Goody Foody Gyros & Kebab, which is made from non-GMO

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC | 2020 13 soy and a mixture of spices that give it a Robi (Eurobi) specific taste and juiciness. Other prod- An alternative to meat and sausages is ucts include Vegan soy goulash cubes, offered by the so-called Robi, which is Vegan ground soy and vegan balls, strips based on wheat protein. The company and burgers (Vegan burger and Vegan offers a portfolio of products that need Red burger, which contains beetroot). to be heat-treated and seasoned before An interesting alternative is also the consumption (Robi slices, strips, meat- Vegan steak with chicken flavor or Veg- loaf or ovals) as well as ready-made an Steak with beef flavor, which both meals (schnitzel, patties with sauer- contain wheat and soy plant proteins, kraut, hamburger with cabbage, Chinese pea fiber, onion and a mix of seasonings. style and more). There is also a plant The heat treatment is simple, just roast alternative to steak tartare and spicy it in a pan for half a minute or heat it in mixture as a plant alternative to meat a microwave for a minute. mixtures. The company also offers a For further processing, the company portfolio of popular delicacy snack sal- offers soy cubes, slices, strips and gran- ads, where classic sausages are replaced ulate. by Robi.

Other brands on the market dmBio The dm drugstore network offers a Klobaňa (Good Nature) wide range of organic products that The Slovak company produces plant are suitable for both vegetarians and alternatives to sausages, long-shelf-life vegans. In the category of plant meat salamis and kebabs. Its products in- alternatives, dmBio offers Jackfruit clude, for example, a plant alternative Natur, which is an excellent source of to the legendary Hungarian sausage - fiber, contains no gluten and the fibrous Hungarian Klobaňa, smoked classic and structure and texture of this Asian fruit spicy in two options (300g and 550 g), resembles meat. Vegan kebab or Vegan smoked meat. An alternative in the sausage segment The products are refrigerated, intended are the vegetarian Bavarian sausages, either for immediate consumption or which contain soy, tofu, seitan and sea- for heat treatment. For example, Vegan soning spices, and dmBio Vegan Snack smoked can be used by consumers in for seitan-based toasting, and a smoked a number of traditional recipes, such version which is flavored with an ar- as goulash, svíčková (sirloin), stuffed omatic mixture of spices containing dumplings and wherever else where coriander, cardamom, turmeric, ginger there would be soy meat or seitan used. and nutmeg. The menu is completed

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC | 2020 14 by dmBio Vegan snack, a vegan alter- the market. With the increasing con- native to classic sausages rich in pro- sumer interest in plant-based foods, as tein. It is made from a combination of evidenced by numerous surveys, it can tofu, wheat protein and peppers and its be assumed that people will be active- advantage is the form of an easy-to-eat ly looking for these products on store snack, so the product can be consumed shelves. Retailers respond to the situa- directly without any further cooking. tion both by offering their own private labels, where there is certainly the pos- In addition to plant meat alternatives, sibility of cooperation in the future, and dm also offers organic tofu - almond & those that have a greater potential to hazelnut, smoked and natural. All are bring more and more customers to the suitable for toasting and can be stored category of plant nutrition, especially uncooled. through sophisticated marketing and targeted communication. Bonavita The key factor for the success of the The Czech family company Bonavita brand will continue to be the taste of distributes products from defatted soy the product, which is especially import- flour on the Slovak market - Soy cubes, ant for flexitarians, who represent the Soy strips, Soy granulate, Soy slices and most important target group for the Maxi slices, all products are in a dehy- development of the entire plant nutri- drated form, intended for further cook- tion segment. In addition to taste, the ing. As part of the vegan and vegetarian aspect of health benefits is important special offer, the Lidl retail chain offers for consumers, and we must certainly minced meat and burgers. not forget the price, because the Slovak consumer is very sensitive to it. With Opportunity to enter the the upcoming economic downturn market caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Although the Slovak market is not as the purchasing power of Slovak con- developed as in the Western countries sumers is likely to go down, so the price of Europe, the categories of plant al- will play a very important role in the ternatives for meat and sausages are future and open up space for discount not unknown to Slovak consumers and players to offer lower-priced products. there is an offer of international, as well It can be expected that the plant supply as local companies on the market. in the gastro and HoReCa segment will The offer includes refrigerated, frozen also grow, but also here it is necessary and dry mixtures, yet the offer is not so to take into account the currently un- varied and so widely available and there predictable situation due to the corona- is certainly room for new brands on virus pandemic.

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC | 2020 15 PLANT-BASED ALTERNATIVES TO MILK AND DAIRY PRODUCTS

Plant alternatives to milk, dairy products households bought them, while 18% of and cheese are not unknown to Slovak them bought them three or more times consumers. According to a Focus sur- and 23.2% bought them once or twice. vey, 38.9% of households bought plant With a sufficient and attractive offer in alternatives to milk and yoghurt in 2019. stores (and a good price), plant-based More than a fifth of households (21.1%) dairy alternatives have a chance to gain bought them once or twice, three or the hearts of the loyal customers. more times 17.8% of respondents. And the cheese alternatives are definite- ly not doing bad either. In 2019, 41.2% of

Purchase of plant-based alternatives to milk and yogurt 21.1 % Have you or your family purchased (and how often) in the last 12 months? • 59.3 % no, I don’t know 17.8 % 59.3 % • 17.8 % three or more times • 21.1 % once or twice

Purchase of plant-based cheese alternatives 23.2 % Have you or your family purchased (and how often) in the last 12 months? 56.4 % • 56.4 % no, I don’t know 18 % • 18.0 % three or more times • 23.2 % once or twice

Source: Jem pre Zem, Focus, 2019 MARKET OVERVIEW with almond drink and coffee with soy drink with caramel in a 235ml ready- Alpro & Provamel (Danone) to-drink package for immediate consumption. In 2020, the plant soy drink In 2016, Danone bought the Alpro with caramel won an award in the Food brand, which expanded the company’s Chamber of the Czech Republic Award conventional dairy portfolio with a for the best innovative food product in plant-based programme. This includes the “Food for special nutrition” catego- beverages, coffee, plant yoghurt alter- ry. Plant alternatives to yoghurts are of- natives, desserts, ice cream and plant fered by the Alpro brand in two options cream alternatives. The category of (150g and 500 g). The 550g package drinks offers plant alternatives made contains white plant yoghurt and a vari- from almonds, soy, coconut, oats, hazel- ation with coconut and almonds. The nuts, rice and cashews (Alpro Drink with smaller package of plant yoghurts offers cashew nuts), the offer also includes a a wider range of flavours, in addition to balanced mixture of Alpro Coconut-Al- the classic white that is raspberry-cran- mond drink. Plant milks (drinks) come berry, peach, blueberry and strawberry. with flavours or unflavoured, with vanilla and chocolate most often to be used In August 2020, the company expanded as flavours in soy and almond plant its offer with a new line of Absolutely drinks, the chocolate variation is also Coconut - plant-based fermented prod- included in the Alpro coconut drink. In ucts based on coconut. They are avail- the coffee category, the Alpro brand able in a natural white variation and in offers two plant-based coffees - coffee two flavours - raspberry and pineapple. Alpro desserts in a package of 4 x 150 g

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC | 2020 17 offer flavours of coconut, vanilla, choc- in its stores, such as coconut yoghurt olate, dark chocolate and caramel. In (natural and mango & passion fruit), an the ice cream category, consumers have unsweetened almond drink or an organ- a choice of two options - Alpro hazelnut ic rice drink. Most products are organic, ice cream - chocolate and ice cream for the rest the company plans to ex- with soy and vanilla flavour. In plant pand organic versions as well. New milk cream alternatives, the Alpro brand of- products and flavours are also being fers four products that are suitable for made ready for the market. a wide range of sweet and savoury recipes. In a 250ml package, there is a soy, coconut and rice alternative to cooking cream, and from October 2020 also an oat-based option. The Alpro brand is very active in com- municating with its customers not only at the point of sale, but also on social media. It draws consumers’ attention to interesting news, offers inspiring recipes and draws attention to a number dmBio of environmental topics (sustainability, carbon footprint). The dm drugstore network offers a wide range of organic products that are The Danone portfolio also includes the suitable for both vegetarians and veg- Provamel brand, which offers a range of ans. In the category of plant alternatives plant-based drinks, desserts and cream to milk and dairy products, it offers soy, for cooking and in organic versions. coconut, oat, almond and spelt plant drinks under the dmBio brand. They are K-take it veggie (Kaufland) available in natural and flavoured op- The private brand K-take it veggie was tions. launched by the Kaufland retail network In the category of cream alternatives, in 2016. The offer includes soy, almond dmBio offers a soy and oat version. or rice milk, yoghurts and spreads, and The offer of vegan desserts is repre- the offer is constantly expanding. The sented by dmBio dessert with coconut quality of products, such as Veggiegurt and cashew vegan dessert. For a quick K-take it veggie, was also confirmed snack, two types of coffee are available - by the domestic consumer magazine dmBio Cashew Macchiato and Coconut dTest. In August 2020, Kaufland intro- Mango Lassi. In addition to the dmBio duced other K-take it veggie products brand, the drugstore chain also offers

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC | 2020 18 plant drinks from the Joya and Alpro and calcium. The company offers an brands. alternative to natural yoghurt, strawberry with lemon and mango, and in PlantOn (Jogurty Magda) addition to the natural variation, vanilla and forest berries mixture are also pre- The Polish company Jogurty Magda is a pared for plant drinks. In the future, the great example of a nice story on how a company plans to enrich its range with company can respond to trends and in protein mixture products. the end switch to a 100% plant-based production due to high demand. The company offers plant yoghurts and coconut-based drinks under the PlantOn brand. Fermented vegan yoghurts are sold in flavours - natural, blueberry and exotic pineapple-mango. The company is also expanding its product range to the on-the-go segment, including Plan- tOn Coconut Drink Cold Brew Coffee and PlantOn Coconut Drink Strawberry Banana. Vege4Fun (Dairy4Fun) Green Day (Olma) Dairy4Fun has enriched its dairy prod- Traditional dairy producer, a Czech uct range with the vegan brand of plant company Olma, has entered the plant alternatives Vege4Fun. Since 2020, it market with its Green Day brand, based has been offering plant coconut yo- on fermented oats. The products con- ghurts on the market in several fla- tain well-known strains of yoghurt voured variations - blueberry, raspberry, cultures and probiotic cultures, which strawberry and pineapple with mango. affect the good composition of the In addition to them, the brand also of- human microbiome, as well as vitamins fers coconut probiotic drinks in natural, strawberry and cherry variations.

Body & Future (McCarter) McCarter is a Slovak company that produces plant-based functional drinks, yoghurts and creams. The company has collected various world awards for its plant functional milk products, for ex-

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC | 2020 19 ample in 2017 when it won an award at Ben & Jerry’s, Magnum, also the global food fair Anuga for its Body Hellmann’s (Unilever) & Future coconut and almond plant drink, which in addition to protein and In the ice cream range, Unilever offers chia seeds also contain pieces of fruit, vegan variations of the Ben & Jerry’s vegetable puree and fruit pulp. Body & (Vegan Coconutterly Caramel’d) and Future coconut drinks again won the Magnum (Vegan Classic and Almond) SIAl Innovation Selection award in 2018. brands. Unilever also offers vegan may- The company offers coconut, almond, onnaise (Hellmann’s Vegan). hazelnut and oat plant milks. In the plant yoghurt segment, the company offers natural coconut yoghurt and flavoured with mango and blueberry variations with black currants. The on-the-go beverage segment contains a 0.33l PET bottle Body & Future coconut & strawberry and hazelnut & chocolate.

NoMilk The NoMilk brand offers an assortment of plant ice cream alternatives on the market in six attractive flavours - choco- There are also products for children, late, vanilla, cinnamon, raspberry, man- such as the Body & Future Kids coco- go and lemon & mint. Ice creams are nut-oat strawberry drink or chocolate sold in 180g paper cups and customers vegan baby coconut-oat drink. The can buy it, for example, at Kaufland, Billa company also offers plant creams. or Tern.

Plant Drink (Lunter) Sojolka (Sojaprodukt) Soy-based fermented plant drinks un- The Sojaprodukt company offers soy der the Plant Drink brand are produced mayonnaise and tartar sauce under the by the Slovak company Alfa Bio in five Sojolka brand. In the category of plant flavours - natural, blueberry, strawberry, cheese alternatives, it offers a natural vanilla and chocolate. and smoked variation under the Tavenýr

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC | 2020 20 brand. Desserts include rice (Kika in Opportunity to enter the various flavors), soy (Sojáčik in various market flavors) and poppy seed desserts. As with meat and sausage alternatives, the market is ready to open the doors to new milk and dairy alternatives, including cheese. Slovak consumers are not ignorant to this offer and international and local companies are responding to the interest and bringing new products to the Violife market. However, the offer is not yet as varied as in Western European coun- Violife is a brand of the Greek compa- tries and with the increasing consumer ny Arivia (bought by the Upfield Group interest in plant-based foods, as evi- in 2020), which produces plant-based denced by numerous surveys, it can be dairy products from coconut oil. It assumed that people will actively look offers a wide range of classic, as well as for these products more often on store special cheeses, such as gouda, cheddar, shelves, as they will be more interested eidam, mozzarella or parmesan. not only in their health, but in general there will be a growing interest in the Crema Vega (Dr. Oetker) topic of sustainability and modern food Vegan products based on soy with a industry. creamy consistency, intended for cook- As in other categories, price will play a ing, softening meals or preparing vari- significant role here, and if the impact ous dips. of a coronavirus pandemic significantly affects the economy, customers Mayonnaise and tartar sauce will increasingly look primarily at the “Doma” quality / price ratio. In August 2020, the Slovak traditional company Doma launched its vegan egg- free tartar sauce and mayonnaise. As part of the vegan and vegetarian special offer, the Lidl retail chain offers vegan ice creams, and soy, oat and almond milk from private labels as part of its permanent offer.

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC | 2020 21 RESOURCES 1. FOKUS (2019). Prieskum rastlinného stravovania na Slovensku. From MILEC, Marian (2020). Rastlinné stravovanie na Slovensku v roku 2019. Jem pre zem. Bratislava. 2. TRNKOVÁ, Jana (2019). Vegetariánstvo a vegánstvo v slovenských médiách. Newton Media. Bratislava. Available from: https://www.medan.sk/vegetarianst- vo-a-veganstvo/

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC Trends, products and consumer insights for 2020

CONTACT THE AUTHOR Martin Ranninger [email protected] +420 720 658 032 veganskaspolecnost.cz Czech Vegan Society

CREDITS TEXT Jitka Hemolová, Jitka Vršovská PHOTOS Eva Hemmerová, Czech Vegan Society archive, Adobe Stock GRAPHIC DESIGN Martin Ranninger