Unilever Acquires the Vegetarian Butcher
Unilever acquires The Vegetarian Butcher 20 December 2018 | News | By NFS Correspondent Keeping in mind its new strategy of expanding its portfolio into plant-based foods that are healthier and have a lower environmental impact, Unilever has acquired The Vegetarian Butcher For The Vegetarian Butcher, the acquisition is the next step in its ambition to grow into ‘the largest butcher in the world’. Jaap Korteweg, a ninth-generation meat farmer and a real meat lover, became a vegetarian and founded The Vegetarian Butcher in 2007 to satiate his own need for quality ‘meat’, which was not produced from animals. The products made by The Vegetarian Butcher are being sold in over 4,000 outlets in 17 countries. According to Korteweg, the acquisition has come at the right time. “We want to take the next step - conquer the world. It is our mission to make plant-based ‘meat’ the standard. We believe that with Unilever’s international network, this acquisition will help to accelerate our mission.” Unilever and The Vegetarian Butcher started working together in 2016 when they jointly launched the ‘Vegetarian Meatballs in Satay Sauce’ and ‘Vegetarian Meatballs in Tomato Sauce’, which were marketed under the Unox brand. The acquisition is a step on Unilever’s journey towards a portfolio with more plant-based products. Currently, Unilever is selling nearly 700 products with V-label in Europe. In the Netherlands, these include products from Unox, Knorr, Hellmann’s, Conimex and Ben & Jerry’s brands. Nitin Paranjpe, President Foods & Refreshment Unilever: “The Vegetarian Butcher is a brand with a clear mission, many loyal ambassadors, a good following on social media and a strong position in the market.
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