Europe’s Largest Vegan Meat Factory Is Opening in the UK

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Europe will soon have the world’s largest vegan meat factory. Plant-based foods manufacturer Plant & Bean is set to open a vegan meat production facility in the U.K. 

The new factory will be located in Boston, Lincolnshire. The 65-acre, 55,000-tonne capacity facility will serve as a manufacturer for sub-scale companies, larger international brands, and retailers. The company aims to help meet the growing demand for plant-based food in Europe and the UK.

Edwin Bark, Plant & Bean’s CEO, told FoodNavigator that the plant-based food space is “exciting,” but “there is so much fragmentation.” 

“It’s a real issue. Everyone is jumping into this space,” he continued. “If you want to make an impact, you have to drive scale.”

Plant & Bean aims to establish the world’s first global plant-based manufacturing platform. The company plans to open production facilities in the U.S. next year and Asia in 2022.

Plant & Bean plans to open a vegan meat factory in the U.S. and Asia, too. | Plant & Bean

Vegan Meat Factory Will Help Mend ‘Broken Food System’

According to the Good Food Institute, (GFI), the “low perceived sensory appeal” of plant-based meat is one reason people choose not to eat vegan meat. GFI is a non-profit organization that promotes plant-based living.

In addition to quality, cost also factors into consumer attitudes towards plant-based meat. The non-profit ranked high price as the primary barrier preventing consumers from eating plant-based meat.

Bark says the company’s vegan meat factory will help address these issues.

The large-scale production of plant-based meat will help bring down costs. And by producing products locally, brands will have shorter supply chainswhich will result in more cost-savings.

“Today’s announcement underscores our commitment to repair what is a broken food system,” Bark explained in a press release. “With our progressive global manufacturing strategy, brands will finally have the means to scale high-volume product ranges in order to lower the price-point for consumers.”

He continued: “We are making huge strides in improving the taste, texture and appearance of plant-based meatbringing together the brightest minds in the food industry to reinvent the way we make plant-based meat at the ingredient and process level.”

The company hopes to make breakthroughs in key areas. These include developing “computational breeding technology” to achieve a 50 percent decrease in the cost of peas and beans. Pea protein currently costs twice as much as soy.

“This will be key to creating delicious, healthy, low-cost, plant-based meats that are accessible to everyone,” Bark continued. “We will achieve our foremost objective to improve global health, the biodiversity of the planet and animal welfare, and having a meaningful positive impact on the world we live in.”

This post was last modified on December 15, 2020 9:49 pm

Audrey Enjoli

Audrey writes about sustainability, food, and entertainment. She has a bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism and political science.

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Audrey Enjoli