This, the UK plant-based meat business, has moved into its first overseas market, winning listings at the Netherlands’ largest supermarket group Albert Heijn.
The London company described the move as a “significant milestone for the brand”.
Its products are already available in UK supermarkets including Tesco, having taken part in its incubator programme in 2020, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s.
They will now be sold in 430 Albert Heijn stores in the Netherlands from 11 September. Four of the brand’s best-selling products will be made available to Dutch consumers – This Isn’t Beef Burgers, This Isn’t Chicken Pieces, This Isn’t Pork Sausages and This Isn’t Streaky Bacon.
This is confident of success in the Netherlands, quoting a recent GFI report which revealed the Dutch have the highest consumption of plant-based foods per capita.
Albert Heijn committed last year to endorse the country’s plant-based movement, aiming to ensure 60% of consumed proteins are plant-based by 2030.
Andy Shovel, co-founder and co-CEO of This, said: “This has been a huge undertaking for the business as we’ve worked to secure a really strong partnership with Albert Heijn with a four-strong range to launch into one of the hottest markets for plant-based globally.”
This said it is forecast to hit £20m ($25.1m) of revenue this year, more than 50% up on last year’s performance.
The company has used crowdfunding to raise cash for its development. At the start of the year, it raised £15m which it plans to use to increase its R&D capabilities and consolidate supply chains, as well as to aid its overseas expansion plans.
Shovel is one of the keynote speakers at the two-day Meat Free Strategies 2023 conference in London next week.
Other speakers at the event, organised by international events group Arena, Just Food’s sister company, include VBites founder Heather Mills, Christopher King, co-founder and CEO of Better Nature Tempeh, and Claire White McKay, food development manager at Quorn Foods.
Registration details can be found here.
