Vivera

What Vivera does

Vivera is a Dutch plant-based food manufacturer founded in 1990 and headquartered in Holten, Netherlands. The company produces meat substitutes — including burgers, schnitzels, and other plant-based protein products — using a proprietary pre-frozen tofu technology with a 5-minute marinade absorption process. It operates two production facilities, employs approximately 500 people, and ranks as a top-3 European plant-based meat producer. Its products are distributed through more than 32,000 supermarkets across 25 European countries, and the company has been B Corp certified since 2022.

Since being acquired by Brazilian meat giant JBS in 2021 for approximately €431 million, Vivera has operated as a wholly-owned subsidiary. The company generates revenue through branded retail products (under the Vivera and The Vegetarian Butcher brands), private label manufacturing for major retailers, and food service channels. Named retail partners include Albert Heijn (where it holds an exclusive position), Carrefour, Tesco, ASDA, Sainsbury's, Ocado, and Morrisons. The company has publicly stated an ambition to triple its revenue.

In March 2025, Vivera acquired The Vegetarian Butcher from Unilever, expanding its portfolio and global footprint to 55 countries. It launched a fresh Signature Burger in April 2025 and consolidated operations under The Vegetarian Butcher Collective structure in September 2025. A food safety recall on a Veggie Burger product was recorded in 2026.

Name

Vivera

Legal name

Vivera B.V.

Website

https://vivera.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Vivera is a Dutch plant-based meat manufacturer producing burgers, schnitzels, and protein substitutes for retail and foodservice customers across 25 European countries, operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of JBS and distributing through 32,000+ supermarkets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Plant-Based Meat Alternatives

NAICS

Food Manufacturing (311), Other Food Manufacturing (3119), Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing (311991)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000), Sausages & Other Prepared Meat Products (2013), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)

akta.pro primary industry

Plant-Based Meat Manufacturers (End-to-End Brands) (AFANAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Plant-Based Meat & Seafood Analogues Manufacturing (AFAKAGAA), Finished Meat-Alternative Prepared Foods (Nuggets, Burgers, Sausages, Ready Meals) (AFANAKAO), Plant-Based Beef/Pork Alternatives (Analog Red Meat) (AFANAKAM), Plant-Based Poultry Alternatives (Analog Chicken/Turkey) (AFANAKAL), Texturization & Structuring Technologies (Extrusion, Shear-Cell, Spinning, 3D Printing) (AFANAKAI)

Keywords

• Plant-based meat substitutes
• Vegetarian food manufacturing
• Meat alternative products
• Tofu and protein products
• Private label food production

Headquarters

HQ city

Holten

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Retail product sales (own brand): Sale of Vivera branded plant-based meat substitute products (burgers, schnitzels, chicken pieces, tofu, meatballs, nuggets, bacon, fish analogs, falafel) through supermarket retail chains across 25 European countries. Products sold under own Vivera brand and as Private Label.
2. Private Label manufacturing: Contract manufacturing of plant-based products for supermarket retail chains under their own private label brands.
3. Foodservice / Quick Service Restaurant: Supply of plant-based meat alternatives to foodservice operators and quick service restaurant channels through The Vegetarian Butcher's strong foodservice position.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Vivera develops, manufactures, and distributes plant-based meat substitutes including burgers, schnitzels, chicken pieces, meatballs, nuggets, bacon, fish sticks, falafel, and an extensive tofu range, sold under the Vivera brand and as private label products for major European retailers. The company also supplies foodservice and QSR operators through The Vegetarian Butcher brand acquired from Unilever in March 2025.

Product overview

Vivera is a Dutch plant-based food company specializing in the production, sale, and distribution of plant-based meat substitutes. Founded in 1990 as a pioneer in vegetarian products, the company has since 2017 focused exclusively on plant-based offerings. With approximately 500 employees and production facilities in Holten and Vriezenveen, Netherlands, Vivera is one of the three largest plant-based meat producers in Europe. Their products are available in over 32,000 supermarkets across 25 European countries. The product portfolio includes burgers (Veggie Burger, Signature Burger, Oriental Burger), schnitzels, chicken tenders/strips/pieces, bacon bits, nuggets, meatballs, falafel, fish sticks, and an extensive tofu range including Tofusion products (Japanese and Korean style). The company also acquired The Vegetarian Butcher from Unilever in March 2025. Products are primarily based on soybeans, chickpeas, corn, rice, and potatoes, with added iron and vitamin B12 fortification.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Vegetarian Butcher: A global plant-based meat brand founded in 2010 by Jaap Korteweg, acquired by Unilever in 2018, and subsequently acquired by Vivera in 2025. Available in 55 countries. The brand's mission is to become the largest, most impactful Butcher in the world by removing all animals from the food chain. Has removed more than 11 million animals from the food chain.
• The Vegetarian Butcher Collective

Products and services

• Plantaardige Signature Burger Vivera's first fresh plant-based burger offering the same taste and texture as a traditional beef burger when cooked; rich in protein with added iron and vitamin B12; positioned as a mainstream alternative for flexitarian and health-conscious consumers
• Oriental Burger

Quantifiable outcome

• Signature Burger scored highest in independent taste test (Essensor) vs all competitors; 54% of consumers positively surprised
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• The Vegetarian Butcher (from Unilever)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2025In March 2025, Vivera completed the acquisition of The Vegetarian Butcher from Unilever. The Vegetarian Butcher was founded in 2010 by Jaap Korteweg with the aim of becoming the largest, most impactful butcher in the world by removing animals from the food chain. The brand had grown into a global presence available in 55 countries and had removed over 11 million animals from the food chain. The acquisition combines two winning companies: Vivera brings strong retail channel position and wide product assortment, while The Vegetarian Butcher adds strong foodservice and QSR channel presence and global brand reach. The combination was expected to be completed by Q3 2025 and created one of the largest plant-based companies in Europe.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Strengths4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/vivavivera
• Instagraminstagram.com/vivera_uk
• TikToktiktok.com/@vivera_official
• Xx.com/vivavivera

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Vivera