Plant-Based Meat and Dairy Landscape in the Czech Republic

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC

Trends, products and consumer insights for 2020 CONTENT

3 Is the future in the Czech Republic plant-based?

9 Customer profile and recommendations 10 How to reach customers and what you need to be prepared for

10 3 aspects that motivate customers to consume plant alternatives

12 Plant-based alternatives to meat and meat products & sausages 12 Market overview

23 Opportunity to enter the Czech market

26 Plant-based alternatives to milk and dairy products 26 Market overview

32 Opportunity to enter the Czech market

34 Resources IS THE FUTURE IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC PLANT-BASED?

Current research and finally also hard ated with. Coincidentally, it’s the healthy marketable data suggest that the trend lifestyle that is often the key motiva- of plant-based nutrition and interest in tor for growing consumer interest in it is growing on the Czech market. Hand plant-based foods. Therefore the path in hand with this trend, retailers are to plant-based eating may lead, in many expanding their offer and project this cases, through previous consumption of plant-based trend also into their pri- these leaner and lighter types of meat. vate labels. Even the HoReCa segment (Hotels, Restaurants and Cafés) is not The change is mostly driven by falling behind and it seeks to enrich the young people conventional menus with plant-based In the last years, meat consumption, options of dishes that attract not only and especially its excess, has often been vegan or vegetarian customers, but also placed in the context of health con- a wider customer group of the so-called cerns by the Czech mass media, and flexitarians. in the last couple of years the media Despite the fact that the topic of plant- emphasis on the impact of animal pro- based nutrition is not entirely unknown duction on long-term sustainability has within the society, it should be noted been significantly growing. Sustainability that Czech people are not primarily is generally a concept that resonates “pro-plant-based”. Meat consump- mainly among young people. According tion in the Czech Republic is not to a recent Ipsos survey from August declining and Czechs thus belong 2020 examining the attitude to sustain- to significantly “meat-based” na- able development goals among Czech tions. In 2018 alone, its consumption people, more than half of the popula- increased by 2.1 kg to 82.4 kg per per- tion (52%) has heard about the concept son, with poultry gaining in popularity of sustainability or sustainable develop- in the long term. The average Czech ment, most often young people (18-26 consumed about 13 kg of poultry meat years) and people with higher education in 1989, in 2018 it was already 28.4 kg. In (up to 80% of university students and addition to the lower price, the interest graduates know the concept of sustain- in chicken meat is also driven by the ability). growing interest in a healthy lifestyle, To reduce the impact on climate which the consumption of less fatty, change, Czech people see a solution, for usually so-called “white meat” is associ- example, in buying local products. But

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC | 2020 3 in general, they do not want to change of sustainable foods, a good value for their habits too much, especially when money, as well as better information to it comes to their eating habits, such bring them closer to a more sustainable as having to restrict meat or milk con- eating lifestyle. In the Czech Republic, sumption. The youngest generation the willingness of consumers to eat is again the one in favour of private more plant-based products is not so restrictions and cut-downs if needed. great, but the trend is obvious - more While 33% of research respondents than a quarter (28%) of Czech people are willing to eat less meat or re- declare their intention to consume place it with alternatives in some more plant-based products at the ex- meals, in the 18-26 years age group pense of animal products, according to this willingness grows to 42%. Cer- the Ipsos survey from June 2020. tainly unwilling or very unlikely to consider a change in their behaviour are 49% of respondents, out of which 57% MORE THAN 28% OF are men. CZECHS DECLARE Even fewer responders are willing to reduce or replace dairy products with the THEIR INTENTION alternatives, it is not even a third (30%), TO CONSUME MORE while 56% do not plan any similar change in their behavior at all. However, PLANT-BASED it is possible that with the expansion of PRODUCTS alternatives to meat and dairy products, offering not only value in form of a nutritionally balanced meal, but also Motivation for change being an excellent taste, the opinion of these mainly health respondents will change. The decision on what the customer eventually puts A survey conducted by the Skála and into their shopping cart is influenced by Šulc Agency for the Institute of Agri- a very wide range of factors. cultural Economics and Information in July 2020 shows that as many as 20% Let us also look at a survey by the Eu- of consumers expect a reduction in the ropean Consumer Organization (BEUC) consumption of meat and meat prod- from June 2020, which shows that two ucts in the future. At the same time, thirds of consumers across Europe are only a small part of consumers want to willing to change their eating habits and, reduce this consumption for financial in general, are aware of their impact reasons (while meat is one of the most on the environment. However, in order important items in food spending). The to do so, they need an easier choice main reason for the planned change

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC | 2020 4 is the desire for a healthier lifestyle - Almost half of them consider the menus 68% of those who want to reduce their in restaurants to be insufficient and meat consumption stated health as the 32% would reduce their meat consump- reason. It is possible that the current tion if restaurants offered more vegan coronavirus pandemic increases the meals. There is currently no educational sensitivity to health issues in general. programme for chefs where they could And there is also a generational shift: a learn to cook modern plant-based dish- total of 27% of respondents in the es. The Czech Vegan Society aims to survey of the above mentioned change this, organizing a competition Skála and Šulc Agency want to re- for the most delicious plant-based dish duce their meat consumption due of the year in cooperation with the to environmental responsibility, Makro Academy and the Association of but in the youngest generation Z it Chefs and Confectioners of the Czech is even 50%. Significant changes have Republic. According to the Association, been kick-started in the society and high quality plant-based meals should they will affect entire generations and be on every restaurant’s menu, whether bring transformation for retailers and for reasons of sustainability, health or manufacturers. various food intolerances. HappyCow, the global web and app- Blissful situation in Prague based travel guide providing an up- In the last years, not only has the offer to-date overview of restaurants, cafés of vegetarian and vegan restaurants and and food stores where it is possible to cafés increased in the Czech Republic, find plant-based meals, evenranked but the possibility of eating plant-based Prague in 2020 in the TOP 10 cities meals in classic restaurants has also in the world where plant nutrition significantly expanded. While previously thrives. In the overall TOP 10, Prague fried cheese or fried mushrooms were occupies the last place, but in the con- usually the only vegetarian dish on offer, text of Europe, it was surpassed only by today the menu options are much more London (1st place), Berlin (3rd place) varied. and Warsaw (6th place). According to the STEM / MARK agen- Fast food chains in Czech Republic are cy, which surveyed Czech society’s somehow more hesitant when it comes attitudes towards vegan food for the to plant-based supply. McDonald’s has Czech Vegan Society in March 2020, 11% not yet launched a plant alternative to of respondents prefer vegan meals in its burgers, although it is already adapt- restaurants and 2/3 of respondents do ing to various trends. Gradually, it has not prefer these dishes, but also do not included, for example, a gluten-free bun completely reject them. to its menu, and it also offers custom-

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC | 2020 5 ers coffee with soy milk. However, the ample, in June 2020, it launched some company is currently looking for a suit- ready-made meals by the Lunter brand, able option for a plant-based dish. Burg- later completed with a vegan option of er King launched a plant-based meat mayonnaise and tartar sauce. Accord- burger substitute in November 2019, ing to the company’s representa- but it is not intended for vegetarian and tives, sales of plant-based products vegan customers. The burger is being are increasing by units of percents prepared on the same grill as meat every year, which, however, is also burgers, so these burgers are targeted related to the increase of the sup- mainly at flexitarians. ply. The future of vegan and vegetarian Plant-based and alternative product restaurants (and not only those) will supply is also thriving at Lidl, which in- now depend a lot on the further de- cludes vegan and vegetarian products in velopment of the COVID-19 pandemic, its permanent offer. The vegan ground which poses a very serious threat to the Next Level Hack product even became restaurant segment. the Plant Product of 2019. Since 2018, the competition in the Czech Republic Wider offer and interest of customers has been announced by the “Plantly” can be boosted by targeted public edu- project (Rostlinně), which monitors cation, coming from both manufactur- progress in the field of plant-based ers, retailers and restaurateurs. Global meals and helps traders and restaurant activities are also important, such as the owners get a more detailed understand- Veganuary campaign, which has already ing of this field and better respond to arrived in the Czech Republic, but its needs and wishes of the customers. media coverage is not yet large enough The first year of the survey for the to reach a wider mass of consumers. best plant product was won by the vegan ice cream brand by Magnum Plant products are becoming (Unilever). In the second year, after more common on store shelves vegan ground meat, the sour cream Retail chains are responding to the Creme VEGA (Dr. Oetker) and hazel- increased demand not only by including nut dairy alternative Nemléko (Optimis- plant innovations, but also by develop- tic Foods) have scored the second and ing their own private label product lines. third place. For example, Kaufland has been offer- The Albert chain offers a wider selec- ing vegetarians and vegans its private tion of vegetarian and vegan foods, brand K-take it veggie since 2016. The trying to live up to its “It’s worth eating chain is also active in the offer of plant better” philosophy. It is also expand- products from other brands. For ex- ing its range within its private Nature’s

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC | 2020 6 Promise line and making it easier for ber 2020 it was, for example, hawthorn customers in stores to navigate thanks berry bread. to the “Healthy with Albert” depart- A very important role is, of course, ment. According to the representatives played by the marketing of plant-based of the chain, the customers of their foods, especially on social media. Retail- plant-based products include mainly ers know very well that they will reach millennials and the Z generation, who the most heart-centered target group - appreciate not only nutritional benefits, the young people - right there. Connec- but also the environmental ones. tion with a well-known vegan celebrity The Tesco retail chain has set a goal to has also a positive effect when it comes sell four times more vegan products to marketing. An example is the coop- by 2025, focusing mainly on the sale eration of the OMV gas station network of veggie sausages, burgers and other that approached the well-known Czech meat alternatives. Overall, the company singer and vegan Ben Cristovao for its is expanding its range of plant-based gastronomic concept. He created the products by more than 60% and in the vegan sandwich Panino Vegano, consist- future also wants to transparently pub- ing of chickpea hummus, grilled pep- lish the share of plant products in their pers, fresh mint and onion chutney. total sales. According to the Plantly project, the The key role is taste and varied Globus chain has the widest offer so far offer and it also won the Plant Chain of the Gone are the days when the so-called Year award in 2019 for its role as a lead- “healthy food” was available mainly just er in the offer of plant-based products in “healthy food” stores, and the range across all categories. of plant products is expanding also in However, the discount chain Penny regular supermarkets. Consumers no- Market is also very active. According tice this as well. to the Plantly project, it ended up in the evaluation of retailers at the very According to the Ipsos end, but in 2020 it launched an active survey, 64% of respondents cooperation with the Czech producer of meat products, the company believe that the offer in Příbramské uzeniny, and will offer the shops has increased, and market a wider range of plant-based 41% also perceive the options for sausages. The chain also change in restaurants. continuously offers plant innovations in other categories, currently in Octo-

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC | 2020 7 But more than half of them (53%) or vegetable tuna and seafood, whose often do not enjoy the plant alterna- main ingredients are mushrooms and tives. Taste is one of the main driving onions. The expansion is also expected factors when it comes to discovering in the offer of plant ready-made meals the plant meals category. The world of (frozen and refrigerated), which will of- plant products is very diverse, but the fer customers a plant-based alternative customer is expected to be willing to to domestic and international cuisines. experiment and abandon stereotypes. According to a Nestlé survey for the Times are changing, the future Garden Gourmet brand, the reasons for will be plant-based changing our eating habits are mainly Although this may not look like it now personal - variety, health and taste. This (perhaps due to the ever-increasing is exactly what the individual product consumption of meat in our country), lines of manufacturers and retailers the future is moving into the plant- must reflect and offer customers the based direction. That is reflected not equivalents of food or meals to which only in the activity of multinational they are accustomed, but in a healthier global players who work on a compre- option on the basis of plants. hensive range of products, including Data from DataCollect and InsightLab attractive marketing, but also in the confirm thatthe most important activities of some local producers, who aspect is taste, and it serves as a traditionally processed mainly animal fundamental prerequisite for the raw materials. customer to be willing to buy the Nevertheless, technological know-how product. 42% of respondents of the and development enables them to start company’s research state that the plant the production of plant-based alterna- alternative must taste “as good or bet- tives. Let’s mention at least two exam- ter than meat”. Degustation at the point ples: Olma, a major dairy producer that of sale will play a crucial role in the now offers non-dairy plant products future because it will make it easier for based on fermented oats, or the afore- customers to make initial contact with mentioned Příbramské uzeniny which plant alternatives and thus help break started to supply the market with a down any barriers or mistrust. What the range of plant alternatives to its most product “looks and tastes” like deter- popular meat products. The well-known mines whether the customer buys it. Czech proverb is: slowly but surely, old- According to Nielsen, the Czech mar- er generations might know it under the ket is now waiting for the discovery saying of God’s mills grind slowly but of other plant categories, such as egg surely. And this certainly applies to the substitutes made from mung sprouts plant-based products market.

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC | 2020 8 In November 2020, companies that Dr. Oetker or Orkla Foods Czechia and produce or distribute plant-based Slovakia. Participants agreed on princi- foods created a new platform with- ples and values, such as social and envi- in the Czech Association for Brand- ronmental responsibility and emphasis ed Products (ČSZV). Its members are on sustainability in nutrition, promoting leading food companies, whose prod- the principles of a varied, balanced diet ucts together form a dominant share and flexitarianism, and promoting biodi- in this category of the rapidly growing versity and research. market in the Czech Republic - Unile- ver, Nestlé, Danone, Coca-Cola, Emco,

CUSTOMER PROFILE AND RECOMMENDATIONS

A study from November 2020 carried However, meat alternatives are inter- out by Ipsos shows that Czechs who are esting for one third of the target group, open to plant alternatives are gener- which is not an insignificant number. ally relatively conservative and rely on Potatoes, followed by legumes, are the the plant alternatives that have already winners among the popular plant ingre- been tested and proved to be good. dients that replace animal ingredients. From the plant products, they usually These are preferred over soybean and prefer flavoured alternatives to dairy wheat alternatives. and cream cheeses, and they prefer Customers who are in favour of plant al- coconut, rice, almond and soy when it ternatives most often shop at Kaufland comes to plant milk. At the same time, (24%), which actively meets customer they are much more in favour of dairy needs and dynamically expands its port- alternatives than meat alternatives. folio of alternatives. Customers also go

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC | 2020 9 to Albert or Lidl and the Tesco super- offers in these categories, and an even market chain. more significant barrier is the lack of knowledge of how to prepare alterna- When it comes to the form of meat tives so that they can really taste great. alternatives, customers best understand An important role will be played by new a plant burger (in Czech “rostlinný brands coming to the market, especially burger”). This is confirmed by previ- onsite tastings and degustation which ous surveys for the Garden Gourmet can convince the customer on spot. brand (Nestlé Czechia), that it is best Czech people are also discouraged by to enter the entire category via a burg- the higher price of plant alternatives er. The name “plant burger” is unique and the fear that despite the higher for all generations, both the oldest price they will not get what they expect, (baby boomers, 55-65 years old) and which is mainly a great taste. Custom- the youngest (generation Z, 18-25 years ers have a stronger awareness of tofu old). Terms such as “veggie” or “veggie and soy meat, but tempeh or seitan, for burger” are very popular and trendy, example, don’t sound very familiar to but only for a certain target group, es- them. pecially younger consumers. Among the older generation, this name 3 aspects that motivate is basically a flop because they simply customers to consume plant do not understand the slang word “veg- alternatives gie”. To enter the market, it is therefore necessary to think carefully in terms of Health which category of customers the company wants to target and according to Customers, for whom the aspect of that to choose the right wording for it. “health” is important, consume plant alternatives most often and for them the high nutritional value and the min- How to reach customers and imum of added ingredients are partic- what you need to be prepared ularly important. These are both men for and women of all ages, they consume Czech people are motivated to con- meat less often and most often these sume plant alternatives by three key people belong to the generation Z. 67% factors - health, curiosity and diversi- of them consume plant alternatives fication of their diet. It is these factors at least once every two weeks. When that define the individual segments and purchasing alternatives, they keep an their specific behavior. eye on the natural ingredients, minimal industrial processing, transparent com- In general, one of the barriers is the lack position and nutritional values. It is very of information about what the market

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC | 2020 10 important for them that plant products Taste and variety of the diet are more ethical and ecological. Customers, for whom the aspect of How to approach them: In your prod- “taste” is important, welcome plant al- ucts, emphasise the aspect of lightness ternatives and see them as an interest- and healthy feeling of the product, min- ing addition to their diet, but they usual- imum added ingredients, high nutrition- ly do not know how to work with them al value and lower content of fats and in the kitchen. These are men and wom- sugars. Health is definitely the number en of all ages, 66% of them consume one priority for this group. plant alternatives at least once every two weeks. Ethical and environmental Willingness to experiment aspects are not very important for this Customers, for whom the aspect of group either. They often consume plant “testing” is important, consume plant alternatives because they are consumed alternatives least often, most often out by people around them. They have a of curiosity, but the price of these prod- small overview of the range offered and ucts is a major barrier for them. generally prefer flavoured alternatives (smoked tofu, flavoured plant milk). These are mostly men and women from big cities, “veggie” is a trend for them, How to approach them: Offer them the half of them consume plant alternatives greatest possible variety of flavours, at least once every two weeks. They like strong and even more exotic flavors. Fo- meat, mainly because of the taste and cus on education - both what custom- habit, and do not deal much with eth- ers can find on the market and how to ical and environmental aspects. Plant work with alternatives - through cook- alternatives are an interesting addition ing tips and recipes. Visual and taste to their diet but they expect the look, similarity to animal versions of meals is smell and taste of meat or dairy prod- important for this group of customers. ucts. The price plays an important role Like the previous customer group, they for them, they go for promotions and will appreciate the alternative to classic discounts. dishes (burger, steak, etc.). How to approach them: Focus on increasing the awareness of this group about the possibilities of plant alternatives, participate in special discounts in stores and focus mainly on the visual similarity of the products to the meat / animal version (burger, steak, etc.).

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC | 2020 11 PLANT-BASED ALTERNATIVES TO MEAT AND MEAT PRODUCTS & SAUSAGES

In recent years the topic of plant-based Garden Gourmet (Czechia) foods has been increasingly captivating Nestlé Czech Republic introduced a both Czech consumers and food pro- brand of meatless products in the ducers. Consumers are more interested spring of 2019 and is significantly in- in the welfare conditions of the animals volved in building the entire category of they consume, as evidenced by an in- plant alternatives on the Czech market. crease in sales of eggs from deep litter An indisputable advantage is the fact or free-range eggs, which, according that it is manufactured directly in the to Nielsen’s retail data, accounts for Czech Republic in the production plant 24% of egg sales and has increased by in Krupka, from where it has been suc- 38% year-on-year. According to Nielsen, cessfully supplying its products to coun- this trend will contribute to the future tries all over the world for many years. growth of plant-based alternatives of In November 2020, the brand received meat products. At present, Czechs, an award in the Most Trusted Brand especially between the ages of 18 and marketing programme in the Vegetarian 34, state that they do not yet consume and vegan food category. plant-based meat alternatives, but 27% would try it in the future. However, in Before entering the market, the compa- order for these products to be suc- ny conducted a survey, which showed cessful with consumers, they must have that more than a quarter of the popula- a taste similar to or better than meat tion is mentally ready to try plant sub- - this is the most important attribute, stitutes for meat and meat products. 42% of Czechs said it. The second sig- The survey also showed that people are nificant motivator is the positive health willing to try plant products, live healthy benefit (38%). and do something for the planet, but at the same time they do not want to give Recently, the so-called cellular meat has up the experience of meat, and taste also been debated, with more and more also plays an important role for them. companies working on development It is taste that is key to the success of a worldwide. In a survey by DataCollect product, and the Nestlé brand devotes and InsightLab, 44.3% of respondents considerable energy to the develop- said they were willing to give the cell ment of new products, not only from a mass a chance. And these are relatively nutritional point of view, but also from optimistic prospects for the future. a taste point of view. Most refrigerated meals contain soy and wheat proteins,

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC | 2020 12 Garden Gourmet’s flagship product: Sensational Burger in the future the company would like to Ground, Sensational Burger and Sensa- start working with peas. tional Sausage. According to the company’s representatives, burgers are a The brand’s range includes three prod- turning point through which many cus- uct lines (Meat Alternatives, Premium tomers enter the plant category. They Sensational and Vegetable Goodies), therefore have the greatest potential which offers a total of nine products. and account for about 40% of sales in In meat alternatives, customers will the entire range. find Veggie schnitzel, which is a plant replacement for one of the traditional Since October 2020, Sensational Burger and very popular Czech dishes. Then has an improved recipe and thanks to there are Veggie strips, which can be a new processing method it contains a easily used in recipes instead of chick- larger proportion of soy protein and at en, due to their specific structure. The the same time has less fat. (Note: Sensa- range is completed by Veggie balls and tional Burger was previously sold under Veggie burger. Vegetable goodies offer the name Incredible Burger but due two products - Veggie rondo spinach & to complaints from Impossible Foods cheese and Falafel. and a subsequent court decision the company had to rename it). Currently, There are three products in the pre- the company is working on improving mium Sensational line - Sensational its existing recipes and developing new

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC | 2020 13 products that should appear on the social media, in order to launch a collab- market in 2021. It wants to strengthen oration in the campaign “Don’t compro- the segment of “white meat” alterna- mise your taste in meatless food”. tives and new products should also ap- The Garden Gourmet brand also sup- pear in the Sensational line. In addition ports professional events that deal with to the refrigerated range, the company the plant future, for example, it was the is also considering to enter the frozen main partner of the Plant Power Per- products segment. spective conference, which took place Garden Gourmet is getting a stron- in October in Prague, and participated ger position especially in retail, where in similar events on the Slovak market. despite the initial distrust of buyers it succeeds in convincing their representatives that the category makes sense, and especially if it has a varied offer because that means better sales. Most products can be purchased in large chains, such as Globus, Tesco, Makro, Kaufland and Billa, as well as from online players, such as Rohlik.cz or Košík.cz. From the end of September 2020, the products will now be available at Albert, The Vegetarian Butcher and from the end of October / begin- (Unilever) ning of November 2020 it will also be The Dutch brand, founded in 2010 by part of the campaign offer at Lidl, which Jaap Korteweg, was launched on the has up until now only preferred its pri- Czech market by Unilever, which bought vate label Next Level in this category. If the brand in 2018. It offers plant prod- the sales of the brand prove successful, ucts based on soy, wheat, herbs and Lidl will list the products in its perma- spices and tries to bring the taste as nent assortment. close as possible to the taste of meat. Garden Gourmet is the category leader Taste again plays a crucial role here. The and the experience of this internation- aim of the brand is to offer products al company is reflected in its perfect that will taste at least as good as meat marketing communication and cooper- and to become an alternative for those ation with well-known faces. The brand who do not want to exclude meat from approached a famous Czech singer and their diet, mainly because of its taste. vegan Ben Cristovao, who has been a The range includes various plant-based long-time promoter of veganism and meat substitutes, which can replace supports the brand’s communication on beef, pork or chicken.

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC | 2020 14 Probably the most famous is The Veg- dishes. etarian Butcher Unbelievabull Burger, The company entered the Czech mar- that is additionally fortified with iron ket in the spring 2020 and the Slovak and vitamin B12. Other products include market in August 2020. NoBeef Burger, NoChicken Chunks and NoChicken Nuggets, a ground meatless Knorr (Unilever) blend of NoMinced and NoMeatballs. The range is completed by a plant alter- Unilever also has the Knorr brand in native to Little Willies sausages. They its portfolio, which is known mainly for are available in smaller packages for broths and a range of flavourings that retail, as well as in wholesale for the give dishes a more pronounced taste, as gastro and HoReCa segment in bigger well as soups and instant dishes. packages. A brand offering The brand’s communication is based ready-made food has on the story of the transformation of a entered the vegan traditional farmer into a butcher of the segment - vegan vari- future, which gives others an example ations of the popular of a path towards a plant-based diet. chilli con carne dish, According to the founder of the brand in this case chilli sin Jaap Korteweg, in 2045 at least 20% of carne. It contains to- the meat consumed will be replaced by matoes, vegan ground products of plant origin. soy and a mixture of spices and herbs, which give the dish its typical spicy Unilever has been supplying The Vege- taste. Vitamin B12 and iron are added to tarian Butcher burgers since 2019 to the the product. Burger King chain, where they are available under the name Rebel Whopper. The advantage is not only a tasty vegan In retail, the legendary burger is offered variation of the popular dish, but also by the Albert chain and online players easy preparation. Just heat it up. In Košík.cz and Rohlik.cz. The company is its communication, the brand targets also actively working with the HoReCa mainly those who want to lighten their segment. According to a survey by Kan- diet from meat and still enjoy the meat tar (Worldpanel Division, Meat free & taste and traditionally popular meals. In plant-based occasions, February 2019), 2020, the product was awarded in the up to 89% of meatless food orders in category of the best innovative food restaurants are from guests who oth- products by the Food Chamber of the erwise eat meat. The company wants Czech Republic. The product is available to help chefs offer plant alternatives in a wide network of shops and online. that they can use to prepare traditional

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC | 2020 15 Sunfood both in a natural version and a fried and flavoured one with herbs or vegetables. The Czech company Sunfood offers a The company offers them in smaller wide range of products corresponding pieces such as Seitanky or Seitan pat- to vegan and vegetarian eating prin- ties. ciples. It has been operating on the market since 1991, but the company’s In its production programme, the Sun- founders have been organizing various food company works with an offer of health education courses on healthy meals for direct consumption as well eating since 1982. The company was as semi-finished products for further among the first companies on the mar- cooking. For example, from wheat pro- ket to offer a range of plant products tein, the company offers a wide range (seitan, tofu and tempeh) long before of flavoured and unflavoured versions plant-based diets became a trend. under the Klaso brand. It is a semi-finished product intended for further cu- It currently offers several dozen types linary preparation, and customers can of refrigerated, natural (without fla- choose from cutlets, black sausage or vour) and flavoured products on the sausage (bratwurst). market. The refrigerated assortment consists of dishes based on soy and wheat protein, enriched with pea proteins under the Vegilife brand. The Sunfood company strives for a varied selection of traditional and popular Czech dishes such as Vegilife Goulash, Chinese ragout or Cubes with dill sauce. The range of products also includes popular plant dishes in the form of nuggets (Vegilife Nuggets), burgers (Vegilife Hamburgers or Vegilife Snack balls in Mana (Heaven Labs) beef style in a variation with or without The Czech start-up food producer sauce. Heaven Labs, which produces the famous plant-based drinks Mana, started As for tofu, there is a natural, fried and pre-selling its plant burger ManaBurger smoked variant, flavoured with various at the end of 2019. Orders exceeded herbs (garlic, herbs, onions, paprika). expectations, within a few weeks the Tofu complements the assortment of company received orders for one hun- Tofu salami, Dobruš sausages or Tofu dred thousand burgers, but the corona- patties. Also popular are specialties virus epidemic delayed the production. from seitan, which the company offers

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC | 2020 16 The first ones reached their customers K-take it veggie (Kaufland) only at the end of spring 2020. The Kaufland retail chain has been The company’s representatives are con- offering its private label of plant-based vinced that the future of food produc- products since 2016, and currently tion lies in the plant-based diet and their offers over twenty different products. goal was to develop a burger that has a In meat product alternatives, it offers great taste and structure like real meat, Vegan schnitzel, Vegan balls and Vegan but its production is significantly more burger patties. The offer is comple- environmentally friendly and energy mented by the Organic tofu natural or consumption is lower than beef produc- smoked and Falafel. The brand also of- tion. ManaBurger is frozen and contains fers plant alternatives in the assortment a mixture of pea, rice, hemp, mung and of sausages - Vegetarian fine slices and algae protein and differs from other other flavoured versions, for example, products on the market in its composi- with sweet pepper or herbs. tion - it does not contain the usual raw material - soy. It is sold mainly by online retailers Kosik.cz (who declared that the demand for plant meat alternatives has quadrupled year-on-year) and Rohlik.cz and the product should also appear in stores at Globus and Makro. The company also offers direct online sales and distribution within Prague and is looking for a partner with whom it could solve the issue of distribution throughout the rest of the country. It has achieved this Currently, Kaufland is working on a already on the German market and sees plant alternative to minced meat under a great potential in the delivery of fro- the K-take it veggie brand, later on it will zen foods. expand its offer with more specialties - The plant ManaBurger also headed into in addition to tofu on the grill, there will the HoReCa segment, the first to be of- be soy barbecue sausages and burgers. fered by the well-known Prague burger Kaufland now offers a range of private place BelzePub, the bistro Salty J’s and labels online in cooperation with the the company is in contact with other retailer Košík.cz. Prague companies, but the situation is currently significantly complicated by On its website, Kaufland offers custom- the coronavirus pandemic. ers numerous inspiring recipes for preparing plant-based dishes at home, and

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC | 2020 17 the company also partners with events chain. They offer vegan and vegetarian aimed at vegans, vegetarians and flexi- products not only in their special offers, tarians, such as the Vegan Future: Expo but also in the permanent offer. As part & Conference 2020 festival that took of special offers, the company regularly place in September 2020 in Prague. includes vegan medallions, sausages and burgers; the permanent offer includes Beyond Meat the Next Level Hack vegan ground-meat product, which became the most pop- The California company is world-wide ular plant product of 2019 in the Czech famous thanks to its plant-based Be- Republic (according to the Rostlinně). yond Burger, which is very similar in taste and structure to the classic beef According to the company’s represen- burger. The main raw material is pea tatives, it is not just vegans and vegetar- protein, in addition to that it contains ians who buy it, it is mainly flexitarians bamboo fiber, coconut oil, yeast and who are looking for alternatives to other flavouring ingredients. The burger lighten their diet from meat, but not to does not contain soy or gluten and is lose its taste. offered in packs of two. In addition to the burger, they also sell dmBio Beyond Meat vegan sausages, either in a The dm drugstore network offers a 1kg package or in two pieces. The pric- wide range of organic high-quality prod- es of these products are very high on ucts that are suitable for both vegetari- the Czech market, in retail it is offered, ans and vegans. In the category of plant for example, by Kaufland, Makro and by meat alternatives, the product dmBio online stores Košík.cz and Rohlík.cz. Jackfruit Natur, which is an excellent source of fiber, contains no gluten and the fibrous structure and texture of this Asian fruit resemble meat. An alternative in the sausage segment is offered through vegetarian Bavari- an sausages, which contain soy, tofu, seitan and seasoning spices. The menu is completed by dmBio snack tofu & wheat protein, which is a vegan alternative to classic sausages rich in pro- Next Level (Lidl) tein. It is made from a combination of tofu, wheat protein and peppers and its Plant-based and alternative products advantage is the form of a snack, so the are thriving at the Lidl supermarket

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC | 2020 18 product can be consumed directly with- Veto Eco out further cooking procedures. The Czech company Veto Eco produces In addition to plant meat alternatives, a wide range of products based on tofu dm also offers organic quality tofu - and soy, wheat and pea protein. The almond and hazelnut, smoked and natu- products do not need to be heated up ral. All are suitable for roasting and can for a long time and their taste is further be stored uncooled. enhanced with spices.

Bonavita The Czech family company Bonavita is one of the other founders of the Czech plant-based market. Dehydrated soy flour products that have been the only Plant-based meat alternatives from Veto Eco meat alternative for vegetarians for the last few decades, have been produced In the category of plant meat alterna- since 1992. tives, products under the VegiSteak The company offers soy cubes, soy brand are known in a number of op- strips, soy granules, soy slices and maxi tions. For example, VegiSteak Kukuřízek, slices in various package sizes, all prod- which is an alternative to meat schnitzel ucts are in dehydrated form, intended with a juicy and fibrous texture, made for further cooking. The products are from tofu, wheat protein, peas, rape- available in retail packaging and in larger seed oil and corn. They are pre-fried, versions for the gastronomy and HoRe- so they can be easily heated and con- Ca customers. sumed immediately, or prepared on the grill or as a natural steak or fried The company has a long production his- in breadcrumbs. In the process of grill- tory, it has been supplying its customers ing, VegiSteak products gain a tender with recipes for the preparation of soy consistency and a juicy core, which will raw material for decades, the disad- satisfy customers’ need for meat taste. vantage of which is the need for longer VegiSteak čevapčiči and VegiSteak tofu cooking (cooking and flavouring). Due strips also offer similarly rounded tex- to their taste, the products have not tures and flavors. been able to attract the interest of a wider group of flexitarians, for whom In 2019, the company introduced new taste is a crucial aspect for inclusion in recipes and enriched the offer of plant their diet. Nevertheless, it has been a meat alternatives with VegiSteak veg- classic in the vegetarian diet of many an patties. In addition to standard raw consumers for decades. materials, the company enriched it

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC | 2020 19 with quinoa and sun-dried tomatoes. Lunter (Alfa Bio) The product is pre-fried, so it is again The Slovak family company Alfa Bio characterized by a very easy prepara- was founded in 1992, but the family was tion. Another novelty was VegiSteak actively interested in healthy nutrition yakoma-so - spicy slices that resemble only 10 years earlier. The small family beef in taste and texture. After heating business soon grew into a modern com- up, they can replace meat in tradition- pany which, thanks to its rich know-how al Czech cuisine, such as the famous and new technologies, sets trends in the svíčková (sirloin sauce). VegiSteak yako- tofu-based plant market. The company ma-so can also be prepared as a classic is the second largest producer of tofu in burger. Europe and processes exclusively soy- The company’s offer also includes Vege- beans grown in Europe without any use tarian sausages (made from tofu, buck- of GMOs. wheat, vegetable oil and egg white), Vegetarian sausages or Tofu nuggets with cheese. Veto Eco’s product range includes a diverse range of Patifu tofu spreads or a classic range of natural, smoked and Tofu burgers. It is the Tofu burger, as a flavored and shortly-fried slice of natu- New ready-made meals from Alfa Bio ral tofu, that during the frying process it strengthens its consistency and then The company supplies the Czech mar- tastes like a slice of meat, which can be ket with its diverse range of tofu prod- further prepared as a burger or used to ucts for both savoury and sweet food replace meat in other dishes. lovers under the Lunter brand. These Consumers also appreciate the meaty are mainly natural plant-based spreads taste with the addition of herbs in the in various flavors and tofu in flavoured product line of vegetarian salami. The options, such as smoked, basil, thyme, company offers them in variations of marinated and sweet chilli. herbs, delicacy, hunters, paprika and A novelty in their assortment of plant with a plant chicken-like taste. The com- alternatives to meat and meat products pany achieved this with a special recipe are vacuum-packed tofu-based spicy with plant seasonings that resemble the and delicate sausages that are smoked taste of roasted chicken. Salami can be with beech wood smoke. used instead of meat sausages in both Another novelty in the company’s range cold and hot cuisine. are ready-made meals, by which the

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC | 2020 20 company tries to meet the demand of pany launched a burger and a ground plant food lovers for traditional meals mixture, which aim to appeal to a wider offering a plant alternative. These are, group of consumers and introduce for example, plant-based roast with on- them to tasty versions of traditional ion or Bolognese sauce. The products meat dishes. are easily and quickly ready for con- The production of vegan and vegetar- sumption, so the consumer just needs ian products is strictly separated from to heat them up, e.g. with added fried conventional production, and the meat- onions. based and plant-based products meet each other only after they are all pack- Other brands on the Czech aged and ready for shipping. The com- market pany continues to work on the development of new recipes, they are ready Uzeniny Příbram to launch soon vegan minced meat, grill Companies that traditionally process sticks and vegetarian versions of soft animal raw materials also enter the salami. purely plant-based segment due to its growth potential. This is an example of Linda McCartney Foods the Czech company Uzeniny Příbram. The traditional British brand of veg- The company that traditionally process- etarian dishes is offered in the Czech es animal raw materials used its techno- Republic by the Iceland chain and the logical know-how, innovative spirit and online supermarket Košík.cz. The menu embarked on the production of plant- includes Vegan burgers, Vegan sausages based alternatives. In cooperation with with red onion and rosemary and Vegan the retail chain Penny Market, the com- shredded chicken.

Robi (Eurobi) An alternative to meat and sausages is offered by the so-called Robi, which is based on wheat protein. The company offers a portfolio of products that need to be heat-treated and seasoned before consumption (Robi slices, strips, meatloaf or ovals) as well as ready-made meals (schnitzel, patties with sauer- kraut, hamburger with cabbage, Chinese style and more). There is also a plant alternative to steak tartare and spicy

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC | 2020 21 mixture as a plant alternative to meat example, Smoked soy sausages, Mini mixtures. The company also offers a breakfast soy sausages, Soy white sau- portfolio of popular delicacy snack sal- sages, Tofu burger with mushrooms ads, where classic sausages are replaced or Tofuburger with green peas). The by Robi. company produces other soy sausages (ham-flavored with green pepper, sala- Opékáčky, Vegárky (Sojaprodukt) mi-flavoured or chicken-flavoured with olives). The Slovak company Sojaprodukt offers plant-based smoked meats on the Goody Foody (Alfa Sorti) Czech market - soy sausages or soy skewers, which can be consumed cold Goody Foody is a Slovak brand of meat- or cooked. There is also an assortment less refrigerated and frozen products of natural, smoked or flavoured tofu. that look like meat. Their preparation is very quick and easy. The assortment NoBull, NoChick, (Iceland) includes, for example, Gyros & Kebab or Steak with beef flavor. Deep-frozen plant-based spicy burgers with soy protein are produced exclu- Plant Kitchen (Marks & Spencer) sively for the plant-based schnitzel with The private label of the retail chain M&S a meaty taste. offers gluten-free alternatives to meat products, such as gluten-free vegetarian Vegini (VeggieMeat GmbH) sausages. In addition to the M&S chain, The products of the Austrian company they are also available at Rohlík.cz. VeggieMeat GmbH are sold on the domestic market by the online supermar- COSÌ BIO (Golfera) ket Rohlík.cz. The menu includes Vegini The Italian brand supplies the Czech nuggets, a plant dish based on pea market with an assortment of vegetar- protein with garlic and onion or Vegini ian and vegan smoked sausages. They schnitzel, which in addition to pea pro- are available at Rohlík.cz and include, for tein contains also carrots and corn. example, vegan salami with lemon and turmeric; with beets and elderberries or Well Well (Well Well Potraviny vegetarian salami with tomatoes, olives s.r.o.) and capers. The Czech company offers its plant products via the online supermarket Plant smoked meats Salve Natura Rohlík.cz and also at the Kaufland chain. The Czech company offers plant alter- The assortment includes burgers, natives to sausages based on wheat and cold cuts and smoked sausages - for soy protein. The assortment includes

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC | 2020 22 sausages, fine sausages, smoked sau- Amylon Vege sages, Vegetburger, spicy plant salami Traditional Czech brand that customers Gurmán and Horal Steak with a strong know mainly as a supplier of puddings, smoked taste for use in hot and cold offers a semi-cooked product - a mix- cuisine. ture for the preparation of their so called Vege burgers. All you have to add Kalma is just vegetables to it. There is a Vege The Czech company, which has been burger with lentils and herbs, a Vege dealing with plant-based diets for al- burger with beetroot and sun-dried to- most 30 years, offers variously plant matoes and a Vege burger with shitake meat alternatives (roasted soy meat- mushrooms. loaf, strips called “Ďobáčky” as a spicy appetizer for immediate consumption Other brands on the Czech market also and heat treatment, protein juicy me- include sausages, burgers and mixtures dallions) and sausages (soy salami with of the German brands Veganz, Wheaty, green pepper, poultry flavors and olives, Veggyness and Vantastic Foods or the fine sausages, fine salami and unfla- English company Qwrkee Foods offer- voured and flavored soy sausages). ing delicacies jerky.

Klobaňa (Good Nature) Opportunity to enter the Czech market The Slovak company produces plant alternatives to sausages, long-shelf-life From the overview of companies it is salamis and kebabs. Its products in- clear that the Czech market has a rela- clude, for example, a plant alternative tively diverse range of brands of inter- to the legendary Hungarian sausage national and local companies. Retailers - Hungarian Klobaňa, Vegan Kebab and are very well aware of the plant-based Vegan smoked. The products are de- trend and adjust their demand to it, signed for immediate consumption and whether it is the cooperation of the heat treatment. retail chain Penny Market with the producer Uzeniny Příbram or the agree- Vivera ment between Nestlé (Garden Gour- met) and the Lidl chain, which included The Dutch brand of vegetarian and veg- the brand’s range in the fall season and an delicacies is sold in the Tesco retail due to a success will keep it in its per- chain. The range of products includes manent offer. Retailers are expanding schnitzel, nuggets, vegan bacon, vegan the space intended for plant-based fish fingers, ground meat and vegan products in the sales area, and they are chicken strips.

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC | 2020 23 leading consumers to them with clear With the upcoming economic down- navigation and discount leaflets. turn caused by the current coronavirus pandemic, the situation in the purchas- The whole category of plant alternatives ing power of Czech consumers is likely for meat and sausages is mainly driven to get worse, so the price will play a by large strong brands, which have the very important role in the future. potential to bring more and more customers to the category of plant nutri- The space opens up for discount play- tion, especially through sophisticated ers who will be able to offer products marketing and targeted communication. on the market that will bring customers Degustation events will play a key role a great value-per-price offer. The devel- as well because they allow the Czech opment of plant alternatives to meat consumer to get convinced of the val- and sausages will also intensify in the ue of buying more sustainable, plant Gastro and HoReCa segment, but even alternatives, while not letting their taste here the situation will depend on how down at all. the country manages to cope with the consequences of the coronavirus pan- The taste of the product will continue demic. to be a key factor for the success of the brand, it is especially important for flexi- The whole category can be significantly tarians, who represent the most import- boosted by marketing cooperation at ant target group for the development cooking shows, which are very popular of the entire plant nutrition segment. in the Czech Republic and to a large Emphasis will continue to be placed on extent influence the products that the the health benefits of plant-based diets, customers go to the store to buy. as well as the topic of sustainability and health of the entire planet. The price cannot be neglected either and in case of entry of a new brand to the market also the policy of special leaflet prices is very important because Czech consumers are accustomed to them and therefore, promotions and special offers play a crucial role in the entire retail market.

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC | 2020 24 INSIGHTS FROM CONSUMER SURVEY

Data displayed below is based on data from a consumer survey conducted by Ipsos CZ (ipsos.com/cs-cz) in November 2020.

Q: Plant-based meat alternatives can be made from a variety of ingredients. What ingredients would you prefer as the main ingredient of these alternatives?

80 % 67 64 60 % 55

43 40 38 40 % 35 29 24 20 %

0 % potato lentil beans peas grains chickpea soy tofu wheat

Plant-based meat alternatives are associated primarily with tofu and soy meat, which have been on the Czech market for a long time. For a large part of consumers, however, this is not a very attractive option.

Q: Below is a list of plant-based meat alternatives that are / or could be in the supermarket. To what extent were you interested in these products? I would definitely be interested I would definitely NOT be interested

23 % 22 % 19 % 24 % 24 % 23 % 24 % 27 % 23 % 28 % 29 % 30 % 32 % 31 % 29 % 32 % 38 % 15 % 10 % 14 % 16 % 13 % 13 % 17 % 16 % 12 % 13 % 15 % 15 % 17 % 13 % 16 % 14 % 16 % 31 % 33 % 29 % 30 % 31 % 29 % 30 % 33 % 31 % 32 % 30 % 30 % 28 % 29 % 27 % 27 % 25 %

21 % 16 % 19 % 21 % 21 % 17 % 21 % 14 % 13 % 13 % 13 % 17 % 16 % 17 % 15 % 16 % 12 % 15 % 15 % 14 % 13 % 13 % 13 % 13 % 13 % 13 % 13 % 12 % 12 % 12 % 12 % 12 % 11 % 9 %

burgers sausages ground meat meatloaf steak schnitzel bacon pate fish fish fingerspieces / chunks bratwurst salami nuggets fillets tuna shrimp & seafood

Plant-based meat alternatives are attractive for consumers due to their short time of preparation, their resemblance to meat / meat products, but they are mostly processed products that are less attractive for non-transparent composition and less attractive taste is expected.

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC | 2020 25 PLANT-BASED ALTERNATIVES TO MILK AND DAIRY PRODUCTS

Plant-based alternatives to milk and conventional dairy portfolio with a dairy products are thriving on the mar- plant-based programme. This includes ket. If we look at the retail sales data beverages, coffee, plant yoghurt alter- that Nielsen monitors on the market natives, desserts, ice cream and plant- we can see that since 2012, sales of this based cream alternatives. The category range have increased by hundreds of of drinks offers plant alternatives made percent. from almonds, soy, coconut, oats, hazel- nuts, rice and cashews (Alpro Drink with The most significant is plant-based milk cashew nuts), the range also includes a that increased by 331% between 2012 balanced mixture of Alpro Coconut-Al- and 2019, followed by plant-based yo- mond drink. ghurts, which increased by even 900%. The growth is supported by the de- Plant-based drinks come flavoured velopment of the varied offer on the or unflavoured, the most popular are shelves of retailers, as well as awareness vanilla and chocolate when it comes to in the media and marketing activities of soy and almond plant-based drinks, and individual brands. the chocolate version is also included in the Alpro coconut drink. In the cof- Alpro & Provamel (Danone) fee category, the Alpro brand offers two plant-based coffees - coffee from In 2016, Danone bought the Alpro almond drink and coffee from soy drink brand, which expanded the company’s

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC | 2020 26 with caramel in a 235ml ready-to-drink at the point of sale, but also on social package for immediate consumption. media. It draws consumers’ attention to In 2020, the plant-based soy drink with interesting news, offers inspiring rec- caramel won an award in the Food ipes and draws attention to a number Chamber of the Czech Republic Award of environmental topics (sustainability, for the best innovative food product in carbon footprint). the “Food for special nutrition” catego- The Danone portfolio also includes the ry. Plant alternatives to yoghurts are of- Provamel brand, which offers a range of fered by the Alpro brand in two package plant-based drinks, desserts and cream sizes (150 g and 500 g). The 500g pack- for cooking and in organic versions. age contains white plant yoghurt and The Barista drinks for home enthusiasts a variation with coconut and almonds. (soy, almonds and oats) and for profes- The smaller package of plant yoghurts sionals (soy, almonds, oats and coco- offers a wider range of flavours, in ad- nut) will be merged in 2021 under one dition to the classic white that is rasp- brand. berry-cranberry, peach, blueberry and strawberry. In August 2020, the company expanded its offer with a new line of Absolutely Coconut - plant-based fermented products based on coconut. They are available in a natural white variation and in two flavours - raspberry and pineapple. Alpro desserts offer flavours of coconut, vanilla, chocolate, dark chocolate and caramel. In the ice cream category, consumers have a choice of two op- K-take it veggie (Kaufland) tions - Alpro hazelnut ice cream - choc- The private brand K-take it veggie was olate and ice cream with soy and vanilla launched by the Kaufland retail network flavour. In plant cream alternatives, the in 2016. The offer includes soy, almond Alpro brand offers four products that or rice milk, yoghurts and spreads, and are suitable for a wide range of sweet the chain is constantly expanding its and savoury recipes. In a 250 ml pack- offer. The quality of products, such as age, there is a soy, coconut and rice Veggiegurt K-take it veggie, was also alternative to cooking cream, and from confirmed by the domestic consumer October 2020 also an oat-based option. magazine dTest. In August 2020, Kau- The Alpro brand is very active in com- fland introduced other K-take it veggie municating with its customers not only products in its stores, such as coconut

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC | 2020 27 yoghurt (natural and mango & passion market by Emco. It offers a wide range fruit), an unsweetened almond drink or of plant drinks, yoghurts (coconut and an organic rice drink. Most products are soy), cream, desserts and ice cream. organic, for the rest the company plans Plant drinks are based on soy, almonds, to expand organic versions as well. New coconut and oats, some products are milk products and flavours are also be- organic, sweetened and unsweetened. ing made ready for the market. Kaufland In the category of ice cream, the brand expands the entire veggie category offers very interesting tasty options, and also offers other plant alternatives such as 480 ml vanilla ice cream with of well-known brands - such as Alpro, pieces of biscuits on an almond base Lunter or vegetarian Veggie Mayo and or strawberry ice cream on a coconut veggie tartar sauce. base. dmBio The dm drugstore network offers a wide range of organic plant-based dairy alternative products that are suitable for both vegetarians and vegans. In the category of plant alternatives to milk and dairy products, it offers soy, coconut, oat, almond and spelt plant-based drinks under the dmBio brand. They are available in natural and flavoured options. In the category of cream alternatives, dmBio offers a soy and oat Green Day (Olma) version. The offer of vegan desserts The traditional milk producer, Olma, is represented by dmBio dessert with entered the plant-based market with its coconut and cashew vegan dessert. For Green Day brand based on fermented a quick snack, two types of coffee are oats. The products contain well-known available - dmBio Cashew Macchiato strains of yoghurt cultures and pro- and Coconut Mango Lassi. In addition to biotic cultures, which affect the good the dmBio brand, the drugstore chain composition of the human microbiome, also offers plant drinks from the Joya as well as vitamins and calcium. The and Alpro brands. company offers an alternative to natural yoghurt, strawberry with lemon and Joya mango, and in addition to that, also va- The Joya brand of the Austrian com- nilla and forest berries mixture are also pany Mona is distributed on the Czech prepared for plant drinks. In the future,

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC | 2020 28 the company plans to enrich the range Optimistic (formerly Nemléko) with protein products that are already The Optimistic brand offers plant-based very successful on the Czech market in drinks and desserts made from nuts and its dairy version. cereals, they are sweetened only with fruit sugar. The assortment includes almond drinks (Ice Coffee, Vanilla, Cream, Almonds), natural hazelnut drink and cocoa, as well as oat and poppy seed drink. The offer of desserts includes probiotic plant-based almond desserts in apricot, strawberry, blueberry, cocoa and natural flavours. The company has also embarked on an assortment of ice Vege4Fun (Dairy4Fun) creams, where it offers non-dairy 500 Dairy4Fun has enriched its dairy prod- ml almond ice cream in a compostable uct range with the vegan brand of plant package, which is thickened with chick- alternatives Vege4Fun. Since 2020, it pea protein and sweetened with date has been offering vegetable coconut syrup. yoghurts on the market in several flavored versions - blueberry, raspberry, PlantOn (Jogurty Magda) strawberry and pineapple with mango. The Polish company Jogurty Magda is a In addition to them, the brand also of- great example of a nice story on how a fers coconut probiotic drinks in natural, company can respond to trends and in strawberry and cherry options. the end switch to a 100% plant-based production due to high demand. The AdeZ (Coca-Cola) company offers plant yoghurts and co- AdeZ brand of plant-based drinks is conut-based drinks under the PlantOn produced by Coca-Cola in a produc- brand (available, for example, at Lild tion plant in the Czech Republic, which or Rohlík.cz and produces plant-based makes drinks for eleven European yoghurts and coconut-based drinks. markets. These drinks are made from Fermented vegan yoghurts are sold in almonds, coconut, cereals and rice, and flavours - natural, blueberry and exotic there is a natural option without flavor pineapple-mango. and options with fruit flavors (strawber- The company is also expanding its prod- ry-banana, wild berries). uct range to the on-the-go segment, including PlantOn Coconut Drink Cold

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC | 2020 29 Brew Coffee and PlantOn Coconut nut-oat strawberry drink or chocolate Drink Strawberry Banana. vegan baby coconut-oat drink. The company also offers plant creams. Body & Future (McCarter) McCarter is a Slovak company that Ben & Jerry’s, Magnum, also produces plant-based functional drinks, Hellmann’s (Unilever) yoghurts and creams. The company has In the ice cream range, Unilever offers collected various world awards for its vegan variations of Ben & Jerry’s (Vegan plant-based functional milks. For exam- Coconutterly Caramel’d) and Magnum ple in 2017 when it won an award at the (Vegan Classic and Almond) ice creams. global food fair Anuga for its Body & Unilever also offers vegan mayonnaise Future coconut and almond plant-based (Hellmann’s Vegan). drink, which in addition to protein and chia seeds also contain pieces of fruits, vegetable puree and fruit pulp. Body & Future coconut drinks won again the SIAl Innovation Selection award in 2018. The company offers coconut, almond, hazelnut and oat plant-based milk. In the plant-based 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. There are also products for children, Tudlee such as the Body & Future Kids coco- The Czech brand of natural plant-based products Tudlee is produced in the mountain region of Šumava and the assortment mainly includes plant-based desserts made from coconut milk, chia seeds and fruit puree (vanilla, mango, strawberry) and cheese alternatives made from coconut oil.

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC | 2020 30 The company offers plant-based chees- other opportunities for development in es in the form of natural and smoked its private label. slices or slices with Provence herbs. The offer is complemented by 200 g blocks Crema Vega (Dr. Oetker) of plant-based cheese for grating. Vegan product based on soy with a creamy consistency, intended for cooking, softening meals or preparing various dips.

Plant Drink (Lunter) Plant-based fermented drinks based on soy are produced by the Slovak company Alfa Bio in five flavours - natural, Violife blueberry, strawberry, vanilla, chocolate. Violife is a brand of the Greek company Arivia (bought by the Upfield Group Oatly + Minor figures in 2020), which produces plant-based The Green Heads company distributes dairy products from coconut oil. It several vegan brands on the market, offers a wide range of classic, as well as such as Oatly oat plant drinks or Minor special cheeses such as gouda, cheddar, Figures (in several attractive flavours eidam, mozzarella or parmesan. - coffee and cocoa, latte), as well as a creamy coconut drink for coffee, Rebel Other brands on the market Kitchen Mylk for cooking and Italian soy drink Mukki. Spak The company supplies to the market Sojolka (Sojaprodukt) its vegan version of mayonnaise (Vegan The Sojaprodukt company offers soy Spak Mayo) and tartar sauce. mayonnaise and tartar sauce under the Sojolka brand. In the category of plant- Bez kompromisu (Rohlik.cz) based cheese alternatives, it offers a Private label of plant-based drinks called natural and smoked version under the Bez kompromisu (meaning Without Tavenýr brand. Desserts include rice compromise) includes almond and (Kika in various flavours), soy (Sojáčik in hazelnut variations. The drinks come in various flavours) and poppy seed des- recyclable packaging and are produced serts. by the Zdravé stravování (Healthy Ca- tering) company. Rohlík.cz is looking for

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC | 2020 31 Sojade Opportunity to enter the Czech The brand of the family French compa- market ny Triballat Noyal produces alternatives The market for plant-based alternatives to yoghurts, desserts and plant-based to milk and dairy products is growing creams, available mainly in health food and is expected to continue to grow. stores. Retailers enter the category with their private labels (Lidl, Kaufland, but also Kalma the online supermarket Rohlík.cz) and Kalma produces soy alternatives to are willing to list such products that di- mayonnaise and soy tartar sauce. The versify and enhance the entire category. assortment also includes oat, coconut, As in other categories, price will play a hazelnut and soy yoghurts and desserts. significant role, and if the impact of the To a lesser extent, the brands Berief current coronavirus pandemic signifi- (German brand of rice, oat and soy cantly affects the economy, customers drinks), Andros Gourmand & Végétal will increasingly look primarily at the (French brand of vegan desserts), Soyka quality / price ratio, which could be of- (fermented soy cream, yoghurt, kefir fered mainly by discount retailers. and milk in both and natural flavoured It can be expected that the plant-based options), Wild & Coco (fermented offer in the Gastro and HoReCa seg- coconut yoghurts and kefir) are also ment will also grow, plant-based milks present on the Czech market. The thrive in combination with coffee, for above mentioned brands are available example, but even there it is necessary at Rohlík.cz. to take into account the currently un- In plant-based cheese alternatives, the predictable situation due to the corona- French brand Nature Moi (available in virus pandemic. various flavours, the brand also offers sweet desserts), the Greek brand Veg- anLife (various flavours and types) and the Greek brand of plant-based cheeses Bedda are also present on the Czech market but to a lesser extent.

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC | 2020 32 INSIGHTS FROM CONSUMER SURVEY

Data displayed below is based on data from a consumer survey conducted by Ipsos CZ (ipsos.com/cs-cz) in November 2020.

Q: Plant-based milk alternatives can be made from a variety of ingredients. What ingredients would you prefer as the main ingredient of these alternatives?

60 %

45 45 43 40 % 32 26 23 18 18 17 17 20 % 14 12 11

0 % coconut rice almond soy hazelnut cashew oat hemp seed lentil poppy pseudocereal pea spelt seed (quinoa& buckwheat)

The preferred main ingredients of plant-based milk are especially those that are widely available on the market. The most frequently mentioned are coconut, rice and almonds, soy is preferred by 30% of respondents. The least interested was shown in pseudo-cereals, peas or spelt.

Q: Below is a list of plant-based milk alternatives that are / or could be in the supermarket. To what extent were you interested in these products?

17 % 19 % 20 % 19 % 18 % 20 % 20 % 21 % 22 % 22 % 21 % 22 % 24 % 22 % 22 % 24 % 23 %

10 % 14 % 11 % 13 % 10 % 9 % 10 % 10 % 16 % 15 % 12 % 11 % 12 % 12 % 11 % 13 % 13 %

32 % 27 % 33 % 33 % 31 % 32 % 35 % 28 % 30 % 31 % 36 % 32 % 31 % 30 % 30 % 33 % 35 %

23 % 24 % 18 % 18 % 20 % 20 % 22 % 20 % 22 % 21 % 22 % 20 % 19 % 22 % 23 % 17 % 18 %

19 % 19 % 18 % 17 % 17 % 16 % 15 % 15 % 15 % 15 % 15 % 14 % 14 % 12 % 14 % 14 % 12 %

milks ﬂavored milks ice-cream yoghurts creamy spreads creams keﬁr cheese butter pudding curd sliced cheese grated cheese cheese - cheddar cheese - mozzarella cheese - niva cheese - feta

In general, those who already consume or do not refuse plant-based milk alternatives are more open to milk alternatives than to meat alternatives. They would be most interested in plant-based alternatives of yoghurts, creamy spreads, cheeses and puddings.

PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC | 2020 33 RESOURCES 1. DATA COLLECT & INSIGHTLAB (2020). From HRONOVÁ, BÁRA (2020). Oblíbí si Češi rostlinné jídlo. InsightLab. Available from https://www.insightlab.cz/obli- bi-si-cesi-rostlinne-jidlo/ 2. IPSOS (2020). Češi a rostlinné alternativy, listopad 2020. Praha. Research for Česká veganská společnost. 3. IPSOS (2020). Postoje populace k SDGs, srpen 2020. 2020. Praha. Research for Asociace společenské odpovědnosti 4. IPSOS (2020). Trendy ve stravování Čechů, červen 2020. Praha. 5. NIELSEN (2019). Nielsen RMS ACV Report W13/2019. 6. NIELSEN (2020). 7. SKÁLA A ŠULC (2020). Praha. Research for Ústav zemědělské ekonomiky a informací. From Zboží a prodej web. Available from https://www.zboziaprodej. cz/2020/07/21/cesti-spotrebitele-preferuji-pri-nakupu-masa-kvalitu-zdravi-a-bez- peci/ 8. STEM/MARK (2020). Postoje týkající se veganské stravy, březen 2020. Praha. Research for Česká veganská společnost. PLANT-BASED MEAT AND DAIRY LANDSCAPE IN THE CZECH 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