The Vegetarian Butcher

What The Vegetarian Butcher does

The Vegetarian Butcher is a Netherlands-based plant-based meat brand founded in 2010 by Jaap Korteweg, a ninth-generation farmer who turned vegetarian after witnessing the 1998 swine fever and mad cow disease outbreaks. The company produces a portfolio of soy- and legume-based meat analogues — including HENTASTIC southern-fried fillets, IMPECKABLE fillets, STEAK IT EASY beef-style strips, and WHAT THE CLUCK chicken-style chunks — using proprietary processing techniques (heating, grinding, cooling, mixing) designed to replicate the taste and texture of animal meat. More than half of the range is vegan-certified, and the brand positions its products as 'meat successors for meat lovers' rather than substitutes, targeting carnivores, flexitarians, vegetarians, and vegans across European markets including the UK, Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, and Spain.

The business operates two principal revenue streams: consumer packaged goods sold through thousands of retail outlets globally, and a professional foodservice channel serving restaurant and QSR operators via a dedicated division (thevegetarianbutcherprofessional.com). Named enterprise customers include Burger King (UK-wide Plant-based Whopper menu plus a dedicated Meat Free Restaurant at the Leicester Square flagship) and Telepizza Spain, which operates a Las Veguis vegan pizza line across 700 restaurants. Go-to-market combines product-led growth centered on taste/texture replication, broad retail distribution, and high-visibility channel partnerships.

The brand was acquired by Unilever in 2018 following a collaboration that began in 2016, and is now operated under Vivera B.V., a Dutch private limited company headquartered in Holten, Netherlands. Unilever ownership provides access to distribution networks across 190 countries and embeds the brand within a multinational CPG infrastructure, though the firmographic headcount of 127 suggests a lean operating team that leans heavily on shared parent-company resources for scaling.

Name

The Vegetarian Butcher

Legal name

Vivera B.V.

Website

https://thevegetarianbutcher.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Vegetarian Butcher is a Netherlands-based plant-based meat brand, founded in 2010 and owned by Unilever via Vivera B.V., producing soy- and legume-based meat analogues for retail and foodservice customers across European markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Plant-Based Meat Alternatives

SIC

Sausages & Other Prepared Meat Products (2013)

akta.pro primary industry

Finished Meat-Alternative Prepared Foods (Nuggets, Burgers, Sausages, Ready Meals) (AFANAKAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Texturization & Structuring Technologies (Extrusion, Shear-Cell, Spinning, 3D Printing) (AFANAKAI), Plant-Based Beef/Pork Alternatives (Analog Red Meat) (AFANAKAM)

Keywords

• Plant-based meat
• Vegetarian meat alternatives
• Meat-free products
• Vegan protein foods
• Soy-based meat

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

Revenue model

1. Consumer Packaged Goods (Retail): Sale of branded plant-based meat products through retail outlets. Products include chilled and frozen plant-based meats sold at thousands of retail outlets worldwide. Revenue generated from product sales to consumers through grocery and supermarket channels.
2. Foodservice/Professional Channel: Supply of plant-based meat products to foodservice operators including Burger King, Telepizza, and other restaurant chains. Professional products are sold through dedicated foodservice division (thevegetarianbutcherprofessional.com).

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Vegetarian Butcher manufactures and sells plant-based meat alternatives that replicate the taste and texture of animal meat, primarily made from soy protein and legumes. Its branded product range includes chicken-style (HENTASTIC, WHAT THE CLUCK) and beef-style (STEAK IT EASY, IMPECKABLE) items sold as chilled and frozen consumer packaged goods through thousands of retail outlets worldwide, and supplied through a dedicated professional foodservice division to QSR chains and restaurant operators.

Product overview

The Vegetarian Butcher is a plant-based meat brand offering a range of vegetarian meat products that replicate the taste and texture of animal meat. Their product portfolio includes chicken-style products (HENTASTIC southern fried fillets, WHAT THE CLUCK chunks), beef-style products (STEAK IT EASY steak strips), and plant-based fillets (IMPECKABLE). The company positions these as 'meat successors' rather than meat substitutes, targeting meat lovers seeking plant-based alternatives. More than half of their range is certified vegan. Products are made primarily from soy protein and legumes, using techniques including heating, grinding, cooling, and mixing. The company operates as part of the Vivera portfolio and sells through retail channels across the UK and internationally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• HENTASTIC HENTASTIC Southern Fried Chicken is a tender soy-based fillet wrapped in a crispy coating, lightly seasoned with black pepper, designed for baking, air frying, or pan-frying. Targeted at consumers seeking plant-based chicken-style products with authentic taste and texture.
• IMPECKABLE IMPECKABLE is a plant-based fillet with high protein and high fiber content, made from soya texture, vegetable oils, soy protein, and chickpeas. Suitable for pan-frying, oven-cooking, air-frying, or BBQ. Targeted at health-conscious consumers seeking high-protein, high-fiber plant-based meat alternatives.
• STEAK IT EASY STEAK IT EASY offers vegan beef-style steak strips made from 91% soy structure. Rich in iron and a source of vitamin B12, suitable for stir-fries, stews, curries, sandwiches, and salads. Targeted at consumers seeking versatile beef-style plant-based protein.
• WHAT THE CLUCK WHAT THE CLUCK are vegan chicken-style chunks with crispy, golden exteriors and tender interiors, versatile for stir-fries, curries, salads, and pies. A high-protein soy-based product prepared to a vegan recipe, targeted at consumers seeking versatile chicken-style plant-based protein.

Quantifiable outcome

• Uses up to 15,000 liters less water per kilo compared to beef production
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Burger KingcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBurger King partnered with The Vegetarian Butcher to power its Meat Free Restaurant initiative at the Leicester Square flagship location. Plant-based menu items including Plant-based Whopper, Vegan Royale, Vegan Nuggets, Plant-based Katsu Whopper, and Vegan Katsu Royale are available nationwide. This marks a major foodservice partnership for mainstream plant-based adoption.
• TelepizzacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with Telepizza Spain to power their new vegan pizza range called 'Las Veguis'. The line is available at Telepizza's 700 nationwide restaurants in Spain, representing significant foodservice distribution for The Vegetarian Butcher products.
• BBQUEENSminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSummer collaboration featuring drag queen performers at a plant-based BBQ event. The event subverted the typically male-dominated BBQ occasion while showcasing The Vegetarian Butcher's plant-based meats. Included mouth-wateringly meaty plant-based BBQ menu and performances.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Beyond Meat: US-listed plant-based meat manufacturer with overlapping chicken, beef, and sausage analogues sold through retail and foodservice channels globally. Direct competitor at retail, QSR (Burger King Impossible Whopper partnership), and foodservice accounts across the same product categories The Vegetarian Butcher serves.
• Impossible Foods: US plant-based meat company competing head-to-head with The Vegetarian Butcher at Burger King (Impossible Whopper vs. Plant-based Whopper) and at retail with beef and chicken analogues. Comparable soy-/legume-based formulation and meat-lover positioning strategy.
• LikeMeat (PHW Group): German plant-based meat brand (PHW Group subsidiary) selling chicken-style nuggets, schnitzels, and burger patties across DACH retail and foodservice. Comparable European alt-meat producer with similarly formulated soy-based and pea-based product portfolio.
• Vivera: Dutch plant-based meat producer and parent legal entity of The Vegetarian Butcher brand (Vivera B.V.). Operates overlapping plant-based product lines under its own label across European retail with comparable soy-based processing technology and channel mix.
• Heura Foods: Spanish plant-based meat challenger (Mediterranean positioning) selling chicken- and beef-style plant proteins across European retail and foodservice. Directly overlaps with The Vegetarian Butcher's Spanish retail and QSR footprint (Telepizza-adjacent market).

Broad incumbents

• Quorn: Largest established meat alternative brand in the UK and European markets, owned by Monde Nissin. Competes directly in retail refrigerated and frozen plant-based protein categories with broader incumbency and longer UK distribution history than The Vegetarian Butcher.
• Gardein (Conagra): Plant-based chicken, beef, and pork analogue brand owned by Conagra, with wide North American grocery distribution. Overlaps in retail CPG plant-based protein category but with no meaningful European foodservice presence, making it a portfolio-level rather than head-to-head peer.

Emerging players

• THIS: UK plant-based chicken and bacon specialist with rising retail presence in Tesco, Sainsbury's, and UK QSRs. Direct competitor in the British plant-based chicken-style segment where The Vegetarian Butcher sells HENTASTIC and WHAT THE CLUCK.
• Moving Mountains: UK plant-based meat brand focused on plant-based steak, burgers, and meatball analogues in British foodservice and select retail. Comparable niche positioning targeting meat-lover consumers with whole-food ingredient positioning.
• Alpha Foods: European plant-based meat brand (German roots) selling patties, nuggets, and mince analogues across grocery and foodservice. Comparable emerging European alt-meat challenger competing for similar shelf space at retailers like ALDI, Lidl, and regional supermarkets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/devegetarischeslager

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about The Vegetarian Butcher