de vegetarische slager
Dutch plant-based meat brand (founded 2010) producing soy and wheat-protein meat alternatives — schnitzels, sausages, burgers and chicken-style pieces — sold in 30,000+ retail points across 45 European countries and via Burger King QSR, targeting meat-loving flexitarians under Unilever ownership.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersHolten, Netherlands
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What de vegetarische slager does
De Vegetarische Slager (The Vegetarian Butcher) is a Dutch plant-based food company founded in 2010 by Jaap Korteweg in The Hague, operating as The Vegetarian Butcher Collective B.V. and owned by Vivera B.V. within the Unilever group since 2018. The company produces a portfolio of soy-, wheat- and lupine-based meat alternatives — including schnitzels, sausages, burgers, chicken-style pieces, bacon-style bits and seasoned ground meat — engineered through heating, grinding, cooling and mixing to form meat-identical structures and branded under nostalgic Dutch product names (Auf Wieder Schnitzel, Kipstuckjes, Braadworst, Rul Gehackt, Speckjes). Most SKUs carry the V-Label vegan certification, with select items also EU-organic certified. Revenue is generated through consumer packaged goods sold across 30,000+ retail points in 45 European countries (Dutch supermarkets Albert Heijn, Jumbo, Dirk, Spar, Plus, Picnic; Tesco in the UK; German retailers) plus foodservice partnerships including Burger King's Rebel WHOPPER in 25 countries, HEMA restaurants and New York Pizza. The brand targets meat-loving flexitarians rather than committed vegetarians, positioning products in the meat aisle under a 'vleesopvolger' (meat follower) framing and combining retail CPG distribution with advocacy work (#schnitzelgate, COP26 #climeataction, 2024 Burgerinitiatief) to defend meat-style naming and drive category adoption.
de vegetarische slager firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- de vegetarische slager
- Legal name
- The Vegetarian Butcher Collective B.V.
- Website
- https://devegetarischeslager.nl
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Dutch plant-based meat brand (founded 2010) producing soy and wheat-protein meat alternatives — schnitzels, sausages, burgers and chicken-style pieces — sold in 30,000+ retail points across 45 European countries and via Burger King QSR, targeting meat-loving flexitarians under Unilever ownership.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
de vegetarische slager industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Plant-based Meat Alternatives
- NAICS
- Animal Slaughtering and Processing (3116), Meat and Meat Product Merchant Wholesalers (42447), Meat Retailers (445240)
- SIC
- Food And Kindred Products (2000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Finished Meat-Alternative Prepared Foods (Nuggets, Burgers, Sausages, Ready Meals) (AFANAKAO)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Shelf-Stable/Retort Prepared Meat & Seafood Meals (AFANAFAE)
Keywords
Where de vegetarische slager is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Holten
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
de vegetarische slager business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) - Retail: The Vegetarian Butcher generates revenue primarily through the sale of branded vegetarian meat products via retail supermarket channels (Albert Heijn, Jumbo, Tesco, etc.). Products are sold as chilled and frozen consumer packaged goods. Retailer relationships and shelf placement are central to revenue generation. Products are available at over 30,000 retail points across 45 countries.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels7 records
de vegetarische slager product offering
Product offeringCore offering
De Vegetarische Slager develops and sells plant-based meat analogues that mimic chicken, beef, and pork products (schnitzels, chicken chunks, sausages, burgers, ground meat, beef-style strips). Products are marketed primarily to meat-eaters and flexitarians and are distributed through retail grocery chains and foodservice operators across Europe.
Product overview
De Vegetarische Slager (The Vegetarian Butcher) is a Dutch plant-based food company that produces vegetarian meat alternatives designed to replicate the taste and texture of animal meat. The company positions itself as the 'butcher of the past with the meat of now,' creating products for meat lovers who want to reduce animal consumption without sacrificing culinary experience. The product portfolio centers on plant-based alternatives including schnitzels (Auf Wieder Schnitzel), sausages (Braadworst, Little Willies), burgers (Griljante Burger, Lecker Burgerlijk, Pluimfeest Burger, Let it Beef), chicken-style products (Kipstuckjes, Kip Krockant, Kipleckere Nuggets, Kipleckere Tenders), and seasoned meat alternatives (Rul Gehackt, Speckjes). The company uses soy and wheat protein as primary ingredients, with techniques including heating, grinding, cooling, and mixing to create meat-identical structures. Most products are vegan-certified with the V-Label, and some products carry EU Organic certification. The company sells through retail channels including Albert Heijn, Jumbo, and other supermarkets across 45 European countries, with products also available at food service partners including Burger King and HEMA.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Plant-based Chicken-style Schnitzel
Quantifiable outcome
- 94% lower global warming impact compared to beef burger (Ereburger)
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use de vegetarische slager
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
de vegetarische slager technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
Feature3 records
de vegetarische slager partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor, major and flagship.
- Burger KingcoreThe Rebel WHOPPER was launched exclusively at Burger King restaurants across 25 European countries in 2018. The plant-based burger was developed specifically for Burger King using The Vegetarian Butcher's proprietary plant-based meat technology. This was one of the largest QSR plant-based launches in Europe at the time.
- New York PizzaminorPartnership with New York Pizza to develop a 100% plant-based pizza, making the Netherlands the first country in Europe with nationwide vegan pizza delivery.
- TescomajorUK market entry through Tesco supermarket chain in 2018, following the brand's 'hack' of a traditional London butcher shop to generate buzz. The partnership marked the beginning of The Vegetarian Butcher's large-scale UK rollout.
- Wageningen Universiteit (WUR)corePartnership with Wageningen University to develop the world's first plant-based Biefstuk (steak) launched in November 2015 at a kick-off party for the new factory. The collaboration combines academic food science research with The Vegetarian Butcher's product development expertise.
- UnoxmajorCollaboration with Unilever-owned Unox brand to introduce the first vegetarian meatballs in the shelf-stable meat section, under the name 'Vegetarische Gehacktballetjes in satésaus' (Vegetarian Meatballs in satay sauce) in 2015. Followed by a tomato sauce variant in 2017. The partnership leveraged Unox's established distribution in the Dutch market.
- Vivera B.V.flagshipVivera B.V. is identified as the parent/owner entity of The Vegetarian Butcher on the website's footer ('© 2026 Vivera. Alle rechten voorbehouden.'). The company website is operated by Vivera B.V. and Vivera holds the intellectual property rights. The privacy policy identifies 'The Vegetarian Butcher Collective B.V.' as the data controller, with Vivera B.V. as the website operator. Vivera appears to be the primary operating entity behind the brand.
- European ParliamentminorThe Vegetarian Butcher engaged in advocacy lobbying against proposed EU regulations that would ban meat-style names (like 'vegetarian burger', 'vegan chicken') for plant-based products — the #schnitzelgate issue. The company ran a petition campaign and communicated directly with MEPs to influence the legislative outcome. The vegaburger was ultimately allowed to be called a 'burger' in the Netherlands.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights5 records
de vegetarische slager competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Vivera B.V. Dutch plant-based meat producer that owns De Vegetarische Slager and operates a competing plant-based meat portfolio. Comparable in product category (plant-based meat alternatives), target customer (European supermarket and foodservice), and core technology (protein texturization).
- Beyond Meat: US-headquartered plant-based meat company with global retail and foodservice presence. Directly competes in burgers, ground meat, and chicken-style products, and shares the meat-identical positioning targeting flexitarian consumers.
- Impossible Foods: Plant-based meat company known for heme-driven burger technology. Direct competitor in QSR (Burger King Impossible WHOPPER in the US, competing with the European Rebel WHOPPER) and retail burger category.
- Quorn: UK-based meat alternative brand using mycoprotein technology. Competes in European retail and foodservice across chicken-style pieces, burgers, sausages, and mince — overlapping strongly with De Vegetarische Slager's core SKUs.
- LikeMeat: German plant-based meat brand (formerly LikeMeat GmbH) specializing in schnitzels, burgers, and ground meat. Comparable in European DACH retail presence and product format, with overlapping competition in the German market where De Vegetarische Slager also operates.
- Rügenwalder Mühle: German traditional meat producer that pivoted into plant-based meat alternatives as its core growth driver. Comparable product portfolio (sausages, schnitzels, cold cuts) and direct competition for European flexitarian consumers.
Broad incumbents
- Garden Gourmet (Nestlé): Nestlé's plant-based meat brand operating across European retail and foodservice. Comparable in product category and target consumer, but with Nestlé's substantially larger distribution, marketing, and R&D budget.
- Tyson Foods (plant-based line): Major US meat incumbent with a plant-based protein portfolio (Raised & Rooted, Jimmy Dean plant-based). Represents the incumbent-meat-industry response to plant-based meat and a comparable reference point for category economics at scale.
Emerging players
- The Meatless Farm Co. UK plant-based meat brand selling burgers, mince, and chicken-style products in European supermarkets and foodservice. Comparable in product mix and retail positioning, but smaller scale and more limited geographic reach.
- THIS (UK plant-based brand): UK-based plant-based meat company selling in major retailers including Tesco. Comparable product format (chicken-style, bacon, burgers) and overlapping UK retail shelf space with De Vegetarische Slager.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks4 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
de vegetarische slager social profiles
Digital presencede vegetarische slager compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
de vegetarische slager financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
de vegetarische slager leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
de vegetarische slager funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
de vegetarische slager M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about de vegetarische slager
What does de vegetarische slager do?
De Vegetarische Slager develops and sells plant-based meat analogues that mimic chicken, beef, and pork products (schnitzels, chicken chunks, sausages, burgers, ground meat, beef-style strips). Products are marketed primarily to meat-eaters and flexitarians and are distributed through retail grocery chains and foodservice operators across Europe.
Is de vegetarische slager a public or private company?
de vegetarische slager is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was de vegetarische slager founded?
de vegetarische slager was founded in 2010.
Where is de vegetarische slager based?
de vegetarische slager is headquartered in Holten, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does de vegetarische slager make money?
One revenue line is on record: consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) - Retail.
Who are de vegetarische slager's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Vivera B.V., Beyond Meat, Impossible Foods, Quorn, LikeMeat and Rügenwalder Mühle. Broad incumbents are Garden Gourmet (Nestlé) and Tyson Foods (plant-based line). Emerging players are The Meatless Farm Co. and THIS (UK plant-based brand).
Does de vegetarische slager have an API?
No public API is recorded for de vegetarische slager.
What industry is de vegetarische slager in?
de vegetarische slager's product category is Plant-based Meat Alternatives. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFANAKAO, Finished Meat-Alternative Prepared Foods (Nuggets, Burgers, Sausages, Ready Meals), with a secondary code of AFANAFAE, Shelf-Stable/Retort Prepared Meat & Seafood Meals. Its NAICS code is 3116 and its SIC code is 2000.