Spanish supermarkets have responded to rising demand for plant-based meat during the Covid-19 pandemic by increasing their stocking levels of innovative meat alternatives.
Just as elsewhere in the world, Spanish food retailers have been experiencing strong sales in the last two months and, consequently, so have consumer brands. And, as in other markets, Spanish consumers seem to be increasingly open to exploring plant-free meat options during the pandemic.
“The high sales growth in grocery, with an awareness of the consequences of animal meat consumption, impacting the shopping lists, and it has driven segments that are increasingly in demand by consumers – andretail sector is responding,” explains Bernat Añaños, Heura co-founder.
“Heura has expanded its retail distribution by 13.7% in Spain during the lockdown with more supermarkets than ever offering their products of their shelves despite the current situation” explains Añaños. He adds that “analysts indicate that 10-20% of the current global protein market will soon be displaced by plant-based alternatives due to a significant increase in consumer interest driven by a combination of health, safety, environmental and animal welfare concerns. “
Heura claims to be the fastest growing European startup in the plant based meat industry, with a 450% growth during the last year. In 2020 the Barcelona based company expects to save over 1.5 million animals with its range of products which include plant based chicken, burgers and meatballs.
“Heura’s main differentiation relies with its focus on nutritional values and clean label products, with fewer ingredients than competitors,” says Añaños.
Organic Food Iberia will return to Madrid on 9-10 June 2021